Galatians 5:3
in Galatians 5Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
KJV
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
⋯
This verse in Galatians 5
Commentary
16 notes on this verse(Verse 3.) However, I testify to every man who circumcises himself that he is obligated to keep the entire Law. God, who first commanded circumcision to Abraham and then through Moses in the Law, established not only circumcision but also many other observances: the celebration of feast days in Jerusalem, the offering of burnt sacrifices morning and evening, the sacrifice of the Passover lamb in one designated place, the rest of the land during the seventh year, the fiftieth year of jubilee, and other things that can easily be extracted from the Scriptures by each individual reader.
This site's exposition
Take notice: I, Paul, tell you
on Galatians 5:2-3
Paul stakes his own authority on one point: if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Verse 3 presses the logic, for such a man is obligated to obey the whole law.
This site's exposition
obligated to obey the whole law
Circumcision was the entry into the whole covenant of Sinai. A man who took it as a condition of salvation bound himself to keep every command. The law accepts no partial obedience, as 3:10 has shown.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"that he is a debtor to do the whole law." Against the statement, he says, that no longer does one receive anything from Christ, which is more grievous than ten thousand Gehennas. And such persons lay upon themselves a useless burden. For he who keeps …
There are some who serve the law to a certain extent without being circumcised; for many Romans in Judea served the law without circumcision.… Yet there is no one who is circumcised without being required to serve the whole law. He is a debtor, since …
A commentator
Epiphanius of SalamisPANARION 42.12.3, THIRD REFUTATION OF MARCION · Written before 403.
proposed
When he says "bound," he is no longer speaking of the law as something unworthy but of a heavy burden which can be made lighter. There is one Lord, who is able to make it either heavy or light according to the choice of those …
A commentator
Hippolytus of RomeHippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book VIII · Written before 235.
proposed
And certain other (heretics), contentious by nature, (and) wholly uniformed as regards knowledge, as well as in their manner more (than usually) quarrelsome, combine (in maintaining) that Easter should be kept on the fourteenth day of the first month, according to the commandment of the law, on whatever day (of the week) it should occur. (But in this) they only regard what has been written in the law, that he will be accursed who does not so keep (the commandment) as it is enjoined. They do not, however, attend to this (fact), that the legal enactment was made for Jews, who in times to come should kill the real Passover. And this (paschal sacrifice, in its efficacy,) has spread unto the Gentiles, and is discerned by faith, and not now observed in letter (merely). They attend to this one commandment, and do not look unto what has been spoken by the apostle: "For I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to keep the whole law." In other respects, however, these consent to all the traditions delivered to the Church by the Apostles.
That you may not suppose that this is spoken from ill-will, I say not to you alone, he says, but to every one who receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. The parts of the Law are linked one to the other. As he who from being free has enrolled himself as a slave, no longer does what he pleases, but is bound by all the laws of slavery, so in the case of the Law, if you take upon you a small portion of it, and submit to the yoke, you draw down upon yourself its whole domination. And so it is in a worldly inheritance: he who touches no part of it, is free from all matters which are consequent on the heirship to the deceased, but if he takes a small portion, though not the whole, yet by that part he has rendered himself liable for every thing. And this occurs in the Law, not only in the way I have mentioned, but in another also, for Legal observances are linked together. For example; Circumcision has sacrifice connected with it, and the observance of days; sacrifice again has the observance both of day and of place; place has the details of endless purifications; purifications involve a perfect swarm of manifold observances. For it is unlawful for the unclean to sacrifice, to enter the holy shrines, to do any other such act. Thus the Law introduces many things even by the one commandment. If then thou art circumcised, but not on the eighth day, or on the eighth day, but no sacrifice is offered, or a sacrifice is offered, but not in the prescribed place, or in the prescribed place, but not the accustomed objects, or if the accustomed objects, but thou be unclean, or if clean yet not purified by proper rules, every thing is frustrated. Wherefore he says, "that he is a debtor to the whole Law." Fulfil not a part, but the whole, if the Law is of force; but if it be not of force, not even a part.
8 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Just as no one can serve two masters, so it is difficult to keep both the shadow and the substance of the law.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Furthermore, it is a heavy burden, because it obliges to the impossible. And this is what he states: "I testify again to every man circumcising himself, that he is a debtor to do the whole law". As if to say: I say that "if you …
Lest anyone think that this is said out of enmity, he adds: I am declaring this not only to you, but to everyone who is circumcised, that you are laying a great burden upon yourselves. The ordinances of the law are closely connected with one …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For I testify again to every man,....
He was so far from being a preacher of circumcision (as some might report him to be) that he looked upon it as a matter of the greatest consequence that they did not submit to it. What it is which he so solemnly, and with so much assurance, declares; it is that, if they were circumcised, Christ would profit them nothing, &c.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For 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 (πάλιν 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 is of Christians.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"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).
He is a debtor to do the whole law - Lays himself, by receiving circumcision, under the obligation to fulfill all its precepts, ordinances, etc.
The words behind it
13 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| μαρτύρομαι | marturomai | I testify | G3143 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πάλιν | palin | again | G3825 → | 139 times |
| παντὶ | panti | to every | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀνθρώπῳ | anthropo | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| περιτεμνομένῳ | peritemnomeno | being circumcised | G4059 → | 17 times |
| ὅτι | hoti | that | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| ὀφειλέτης | opheiletes | a debtor | G3781 → | |
| ἐστὶν | estin | he is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ὅλον | holon | all | G3650 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμον | nomon | Law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| ποιῆσαι. | poiesai | to keep. | G4160 → | 569 times |
μαρτύρομαιI testify
marturomaiG3143 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
πάλινagain
palinG3825 →139 times
παντὶto every
pantiG3956 →1235 times
ἀνθρώπῳman
anthropoG444 →549 times
περιτεμνομένῳbeing circumcised
peritemnomenoG4059 →17 times
ὅτιthat
hotiG3754 →1292 times
ὀφειλέτηςa debtor
opheiletesG3781 →
ἐστὶνhe is
estinG1510 →2333 times
ὅλονall
holonG3650 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
νόμονLaw
nomonG3551 →192 times
ποιῆσαι.to keep.
poiesaiG4160 →569 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 3:10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 27:26
‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Romans 8:7
because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.
- Romans 3:19–20
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Deuteronomy 11:26–28
See, today I am setting before you a blessing and a curse—
- Jeremiah 11:3
You must tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
- Deuteronomy 27:26
Through
Deuteronomy 27:26‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
it leads to
- Galatians 3:10
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- Galatians 3:10
Through
Romans 2:25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to…
- Galatians 5:3–6
Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
- Jeremiah 4:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies27
- Bearing One Another's Burdens
- Faith and Works
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- The Words Tov and Agathosyne
- Holiness and Legalism
- How Scripture Shapes Christian Ethics
Show the next 6 titles
About Galatians

This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 5.3; Epiphanius of Salamis, PANARION 42.12.3, THIRD REFUTATION OF MARCION; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Refutation of All Heresies Book VIII; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Galatians; Jerome, EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS 2.5.4; John Chrysostom, Homily on Galatians 5; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Galatians; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Galatians and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Galatians.
