Galatians 5:3

3 Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised must realize that he obligates himself to do everything Moses' Teachings demand.

Galatians 5:3 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 5:3

For I testify again to every man
This is the form of an oath, a calling God to witness, swearing by the living God, and declaring as in his presence to every man, whether Jew or Gentile, whoever he be:

that is circumcised;
in order to obtain salvation, and as necessary to it:

that he is a debtor to do the whole law;
and this it is that made circumcision an insupportable yoke, for that itself might be bore, and was bore by children of eight days old; but the fulfilling of the whole law cannot be done by any man; and yet everyone that is circumcised, in order to procure righteousness and life, is bound to keep the whole law; because the law is only his righteousness, when he observes all that is required in it, and as the Lord has commanded; if he does not, he is pronounced accursed: and this proves what was before said, that Christ is of no profit to such persons; because they reject him and his righteousness, and, as much as in them lie, make void his obedience, sufferings, and death: hence the same thing is repeated, though not in the same words, in the next verse.

Galatians 5:3 In-Context

1 Christ has freed us so that we may enjoy the benefits of freedom. Therefore, be firm [in this freedom], and don't become slaves again.

2 I, Paul, can guarantee that if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

3 Again, I insist that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised must realize that he obligates himself to do everything Moses' Teachings demand.

4 Those of you who try to earn God's approval by obeying his laws have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen out of God's favor.

5 However, in our spiritual nature, faith causes us to wait eagerly for the confidence that comes with God's approval.