Galatians 5:3

Galatians 5:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
• New International Version (NIV)Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
• New Living Translation (NLT)I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.

Context of Galatians 5:3

1Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Galatians 5:3 word by word

μαρτύρομαι δὲ πάλιν παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ περιτεμνομένῳ ὅτι ὀφειλέτης ἐστὶν ὅλον τὸν νόμον ποιῆσαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forδέde · thenG1161
• I testifyμαρτύρομαιmarturomai · to testifyG3143
• againπάλινpalin · againG3825
• to everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• that is circumcisedπεριτέμνωperitemnō · to circumciseG4059
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• he isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• a debtorὀφειλέτηςopheiletēs · debtorG3781
• to doποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• theνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• wholeὅλοςholos · allG3650

Cross-references for Galatians 5:3

• Deuteronomy 8:19Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.
• Deuteronomy 31:21Then it shall be, when many evils and troubles have come upon them, that this song will testify against them as a witness; for it will not be forgotten in the mouths of their descendants, for I know the inclination of their behavior today, even before I have brought them to the land of which I swore to give them.”
• Nehemiah 9:29And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear.
• Luke 16:28for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
• Acts 2:40And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
• Acts 20:21testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Ephesians 4:17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
• 1 Thessalonians 4:6that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified.
• 1 John 4:14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
• Galatians 3:10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
• Deuteronomy 27:26‘Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law by observing them.’ “And all the people shall say, ‘Amen!’
• Matthew 23:16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’
• James 2:10For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

Commentaries on Galatians 5:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3He is a debtor to do the whole law - Lays himself, by receiving circumcision, under the obligation to fulfill all its precepts, ordinances, etc.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For I testify again - Probably he had stated this when he had preached the gospel to them first, and he now solemnly bears witness to the same thing again. Bloomfield, however, supposes that the word “again” here ( ́ palin) means, on the other hand, or, “furthermore,” or, as we would say, “and again.” That he is a debtor to do the whole law - He binds himself to obey all the Law of Moses. Circumcision was the distinguishing badge of the Jews, as baptism…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3People who try to be righteous by obeying the law must obey every one of its rules without exception (see 2:15–16; compare James 2:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. For--Greek, "Yea, more"; "Moreover." I testify ... to every man--as well as "unto you" (Ga 5:2). that is circumcised--that submits to be circumcised. Such a one became a "proselyte of righteousness." the whole law--impossible for man to keep even in part, much less wholly (Jas 2:10); yet none can be justified by the law, unless he keep it wholly (Ga 3:10).Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 5:3

• Circumcision
• Obedience

In the dictionaries

• Affection
• Bite
• Contrary
• Cross
• Crucify
• Debtor
• Flesh
• Gentleness
• Goodness
• Meekness

Commentaries on Galatians 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings