Galatians 5:3 (ASV)

Passage

Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Nearby Context

Galatians 5:1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

Galatians 5:3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

Galatians 5:4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.

Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "testify", "again", "receiveth", "circumcision", "debtor", and "whole". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "testify" and "again", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "Behold I Paul say unto you that..." into verse 4's "Ye are severed from Christ ye would...", so "testify" and "again" belong inside that flow. In Galatians context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "testify" and "again" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.