Acts 16:4

Accordingly, these who have received “another Paraclete” in and through the apostles, (a Paraclete) whom, not recognising Him even in His special prophets, they no longer possess in the apostles either; come, now, let them, even from the apostolic instrument, teach us the possibility that the stains of a flesh which after baptism has been repolluted, can by repentance be washed away. Do we not, in the apostles also, recognise the form of the Old Law with regard to the demonstration of adultery, how great (a crime) it is; lest perchance it be esteemed more trivial in the new stage of disciplines than in the old? When first the Gospel thundered and shook the old system to its base, when dispute was being held on the question of retaining or not the Law; this is the first rule which the apostles, on the authority of the Holy Spirit, send out to those who were already beginning to be gathere …

6. Nevertheless they, who did not believe at first, became afterwards admirable, and illustrious. At least when Paul and they that were of his company were come up to Jerusalem about decrees,they went in straightway unto James. For he was so admired as even to be the first to be entrusted with the bishop’s office. And they say he gave himself up to such great austerity, that even his members became all of them as dead, and that from his continual praying, and his perpetual intercourse with the ground, his forehead became so callous as to be in no better state than a camel’s knees, simply by reason of his striking it so against the earth. …

“And, behold a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him 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.” ( ch. xvi. 1-3 .) It is indeed amazing, the wisdom of Paul! He that has had so many battles about circumcision, he that moved all things to this end, and did not give over until he had carried his point, now that the decree is made sure, circumcises the disciple. He not only does not forbid others, but himself does this thing. ( b ) “Him,” it says, “he would have to go forth with him.” And the wonder is this, that he even took him unto him. …

“He went,” it says, “through” the cities “And, behold, there was a disciple, by name Timothy, who had a good report of the brethren which were in Lystra and Iconium.” ( v. 41; xvi. 1 .) Great was the grace of Timothy. When Barnabas departed ( ἀπέστη ), he finds another, equivalent to him. Of him he saith, “Remembering thy tears and thy unfeigned faith, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and in thy mother Eunice.” ( 2 Tim. i. 5 .) His father continued to be a Gentile, and therefore it was that (Timothy) was not circumcised. ( a ) Observe the Law already broken. Or if not so, I suppose he was born after the preaching of the Gospel but this is perhaps not so. ( c ) He was about to make him a bishop, and it was not meet that he should be uncircumcised. …