Neville Goddard on Acts 16:3 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Acts 16 in context

Scripture Focus

3Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:3

Biblical Context

Paul circumcised Timothy to remove a barrier for the gospel among Jewish audiences; outward form serves inner mission by clearing hindrances.

Neville's Inner Vision

I read Acts 16:3 as a parable of inner alignment. The act of circumcision is not a fleshly rite but a symbolic cutting away of the beliefs and identifications that stand in the way of your mission. The Paul within you is called to go forward with your Timothy, a younger expression of intention, yet to be received by a Jewish ear. To speak truth to those minds, you must be willing to let go of the old 'Greek' self—the habit of thinking you are only what your past has taught you. The 'Jews in those quarters' within are the voices of constraint; by consenting to the outward symbol you show your loyalty to the inner covenant—the I AM that you are waking to through imagination. Obedience and faithfulness are not obedience to rules but obedience to your own present state of consciousness; holiness is the readiness to express your divine nature in any company. When you align your inner state with the mission, you discover that the form is but a vehicle and the power stands in you.

Practice This Now

Imaginative act: Sit quietly, close your eyes, and declare, I am free to move forward in my mission, unblocked by past forms. Picture yourself stepping into a scene with those you fear offending and feel the inner 'circumcision'—a cutting away of hesitation—while affirming, I AM the courage that speaks through me.