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Easy-to-Read Version

Galatians 5:3

Again, I warn everyone: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow the whole law.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Circumcision;   Obedience;   The Topic Concordance - Legalism;   Waiting;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Circumcision;   Creditors;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Debtor;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Circumcision;   Law;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Discipline;   Flesh;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Law;   Liberty;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Circumcision;   Galatians, the Epistle to the;   Gilgal;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Galatians, Letter to the;   Proselytes;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Galatians, Epistle to the;   Justification, Justify;   Law;   Quotations;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Debt, Debtor;   Galatians Epistle to the;   Law;   Moses;   Proselyte;   Proselyte (2);   Universalism (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Circumcision;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Galatians, Epistle to the;   Lord's Day;   Proselyte;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Polemics and Polemical Literature;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for November 8;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to do the entire law.
King James Version (1611)
For I testifie againe to euery man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to doe the whole Law.
King James Version
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
English Standard Version
I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.
New American Standard Bible
And I testify again to every man who has himself circumcised, that he is obligated to keep the whole Law.
New Century Version
Again, I warn every man: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, you must follow all the law.
Amplified Bible
Once more I solemnly affirm to every man who receives circumcision [as a supposed requirement of salvation], that he is under obligation and required to keep the whole Law.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
Legacy Standard Bible
And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.
Berean Standard Bible
Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
Contemporary English Version
If you do, you must obey the whole Law.
Complete Jewish Bible
Again, I warn you: any man who undergoes b'rit-milah is obligated to observe the entire Torah!
Darby Translation
And I witness again to every man [who is] circumcised, that he is debtor to do the whole law.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For I testifie againe to euery man, which is circumcised, that he is bound to keepe the whole Lawe.
George Lamsa Translation
For I testify again to every man who is circumcised, that he is under obligation to fulfill the whole law.
Good News Translation
Once more I warn any man who allows himself to be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the whole Law.
Lexham English Bible
And again I testify to every man who becomes circumcised, that he is under obligation to keep the whole law.
Literal Translation
And I testify again to every man being circumcised, that he is a debtor to do all the Law,
American Standard Version
Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Bible in Basic English
Yes, I give witness again to every man who undergoes circumcision, that he will have to keep all the law.
Hebrew Names Version
Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
International Standard Version
Again, I insisttestify">[fn] that everyone who allows himself to be circumcised is obligated to obey the entire law.Galatians 3:10;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But I attest again to every man who is circumcised, that he is obligated to fulfil the whole law.
Murdock Translation
And again, I testify to every one who becometh circumcised, that he is bound to fulfill the whole law.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For I testifie agayne to euery man which is circumcised, that he is a detter to do the whole lawe.
English Revised Version
Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
World English Bible
Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Weymouth's New Testament
I once more protest to every man who receives circumcision that he is under obligation to obey the whole Law of Moses.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y witnesse eftsoones to ech man that circumcidith hym silf, that he is dettour of al the lawe to be don.
Update Bible Version
Yes, I testify again to every man that receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Webster's Bible Translation
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
New English Translation
And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.
New King James Version
And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
I say it again. Every man who has the religious act of becoming a Jew done on him must obey every Law.
New Revised Standard
Once again I testify to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the entire law.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yea, I bear solemn witness again, unto every man getting circumcised, - that he is, a debtor, to do, the whole law.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I testify again to every man circumcising himself that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Revised Standard Version
I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I testifie agayne to every man which is circumcised that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe.
Young's Literal Translation
and I testify again to every man circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I testifye agayne vnto euery man which is circumcysed, that he is bounde to kepe the whole lawe.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for I testify to every man that is circumcised, that he is under an obligation to perform the whole law.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I've said it once and I'll say it again, any cowboy who tries to go by one part of the Law must obey every part of the Law—every twist, turn, nook, and cranny.

Contextual Overview

1 We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don't go back into slavery again. 2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you start following the law by being circumcised, then Christ cannot help you. 3 Again, I warn everyone: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, then you must follow the whole law. 4 If you try to be made right with God through the law, your life with Christ is finished—you have left God's grace. 5 I say this because our hope of being right with God comes through faith. And the Spirit helps us feel sure as we wait for that hope. 6 When someone belongs to Christ Jesus, it is not important if they are circumcised or not. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love. 7 You were doing so well. Who caused you to stop following the truth? 8 It certainly wasn't the one who chose you. 9 Be careful! "Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise." 10 I trust in the Lord that you will not believe those different ideas. Someone is trying to confuse you. Whoever it is will be punished.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

testify: Deuteronomy 8:19, Deuteronomy 31:21, Nehemiah 9:29, Nehemiah 9:30, Nehemiah 9:34, Luke 16:28, Acts 2:40, Acts 20:21, Ephesians 4:17, 1 Thessalonians 4:6, 1 John 4:14

a debtor: Galatians 3:10, Deuteronomy 27:26, Matthew 23:16, Matthew 23:18,*Gr: James 2:10, James 2:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:10 - Every Leviticus 12:3 - General Nehemiah 13:15 - I testified Acts 13:39 - from which Romans 2:25 - circumcision Romans 9:31 - hath Romans 10:3 - to establish Galatians 5:6 - in 1 Timothy 1:7 - to

Cross-References

Genesis 4:25
Adam again had sexual relations with his wife, and she gave birth to another son. She named him Seth. Eve said, "God has given me another son. Cain killed Abel, but now I have Seth."
Genesis 5:2
He created them male and female. And on the same day he made them, he blessed them and called them "humans."
Genesis 5:3
After Adam was 130 years old, he had another son. This son looked just like Adam. Adam named his son Seth.
Genesis 5:14
So Kenan lived a total of 910 years; then he died.
Genesis 5:16
After Jared was born, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters.
Job 14:4
"No one can make something clean from something so dirty.
Job 25:4
How can anyone claim to be right before God? No human being can really be pure.
Psalms 51:5
I was born to do wrong, a sinner before I left my mother's womb.
Luke 1:35
The angel said to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High God will cover you. The baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God.
John 3:6
The only life people get from their human parents is physical. But the new life that the Spirit gives a person is spiritual.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 man, therefore, who became circumcised became a professor of the Jewish religion, and bound himself to obey all its special laws. This must be understood, of course, with reference to the point under discussion; and means, if he did it with a view to justification, or as a thing that was necessary and binding. It would not apply to such a case as that of Timothy, where it was a matter of mere expediency or prudence; see the note at Galatians 5:2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Galatians 5:3. He is a debtor to do the whole law. — Lays himself, by receiving circumcision, under the obligation to fulfil all its precepts, ordinances, &c.


 
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