Paul And Abraham

Genesis 17
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

The book of Romans starts here in Genesis 17 with the story of Abraham. This passage shows us the significance of circumcision to the Jews.

Genesis 17
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

From here in Genesis 17 God's word on salvation unfolds. And the definition of salvation in Romans for gentiles is given in terms of circumcision and being a Jew.

Romans 2
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God.