Galatians 5:3

3 And I witness again to each man that circumciseth himself [Soothly I bear witnessing again to every man circumcising himself], that he is a debtor of all the law to be done.

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 Stand ye therefore, and do not ye again be held in the yoke of servage. [Therefore stand ye, and again do not ye be together holden in the yoke of servage.]

2 Lo! I Paul say to you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall nothing profit to you. [Lo! I Paul say to you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit to you nothing.]

3 And I witness again to each man that circumciseth himself [Soothly I bear witnessing again to every man circumcising himself], that he is a debtor of all the law to be done.

4 And ye be voided away from Christ, and ye that be justified in the law, ye have fallen away from grace. [Ye be voided from Christ, ye that be justified in the law have fallen away from grace.]

5 For we through the Spirit of belief abide the hope of rightwiseness. [For we by Spirit of faith abide the hope of rightwiseness.]