3. How was Paul’s willingness to do all things for the sake of the good news shown in connection with Timothy and the Jews?

³ Paul’s Jewish background and his willingness to do all things for the sake of the good news equipped him to help humble Jews to accept Jesus as the Messiah. For example, consider what the apostle did when he chose Timothy as his traveling companion. Timothy, whose father was Greek, had not been circumcised as Jewish male children were. (Leviticus 12:2, 3) Paul knew that Jews might be stumbled if an uncircumcised young man tried to help them to become reconciled to God. Therefore, so that honesthearted Jews might not be hindered from accepting Jesus, what did Paul do? He “took [Timothy] and circumcised him because of the Jews.” This was done even though circumcision was not a Christian requirement.​—Acts 16:1-3.

 4. According to 1 Corinthians 9:20, what was Paul’s objective?

⁴ So it was that Paul was doing things for the sake of the good news when he expressed loving concern for fellow Jews. He wrote: “To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, that I might gain those under law.” (1 Corinthians 9:20) Yes, as illustrated in the case of Timothy, Paul did what he could to gain Jews, helping them to become Christians. But did he deal similarly with Gentiles?

 7. With regard to circumcision, why was Titus’ situation different from that of Timothy?

⁷ When Paul went to Jerusalem about 49 C.E. to attend the important meeting of the Christian congregation’s governing body, he was accompanied by the Greek disciple Titus. To the assembled brothers, Paul delivered a report on his preaching work among the people of the nations, and he later wrote: “Not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.” (Galatians 2:1-3) Unlike Timothy, Titus performed his ministry primarily among uncircumcised people of the nations. Hence, the issue of circumcision did not arise in his case.​—2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-18, 23; 12:18; Titus 1:4, 5.