Galatians

Galatians 3:16–19

16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,”h meaning One, who is Christ.

17What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

19Why then was the law given ? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.

Footnotes

  • h 3:16 Genesis 12:7|GEN 12:7; Genesis 13:15

Read all of Galatians 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Greek it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Galatians 3:16

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
TheαἱhaiArticle - Nominative Feminine PluralG3588 the
promisesἐπαγγελίαιepangeliaiNoun - Nominative Feminine PluralG1860 a promise
were spokenἐρρέθησανerrethēsanVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person PluralG2046 I say, speak
to AbrahamἈβραὰμAbraamNoun - Dative Masculine SingularG11 Abraham
andκαὶkaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
toτῷtōArticle - Dative Masculine SingularG3588 the
hisαὐτοῦautouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person SingularG846 he, she, it, they, them, same
seedσπέρματιspermatiNoun - Dative Neuter SingularG4690 seed, offspring
does not sayλέγειlegeiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG3004 I say, speak
andΚαὶKaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
to seedsσπέρμασινspermasinNoun - Dative Neuter PluralG4690 seed, offspring
meaningἐπὶepiPrepositionG1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
manyπολλῶνpollōnAdjective - Genitive Neuter PluralG4183 much, many, often
butἀλλ’all’ConjunctionG235 but, except
andΚαὶKaiConjunctionG2532 and, even, also, namely
toτῷtōArticle - Dative Neuter SingularG3588 the
yourσουsouPersonal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person SingularG4771 you
seedσπέρματίspermatiNoun - Dative Neuter SingularG4690 seed, offspring
meaningἐφ’eph’PrepositionG1909 on, to, against, on the basis of, at
OneἑνόςhenosAdjective - Genitive Neuter SingularG1520 one
whoὅςhosPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
isἐστινestinVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG1510 I am, exist
ChristΧριστόςChristosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG5547 anointed, the Messiah, the Christ

Galatians 3:17

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
What I meanλέγωlegōVerb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularG3004 I say, speak
thisΤοῦτοToutoDemonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG3778 this, he, she, it
lawνόμοςnomosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
that cameγεγονὼςgegonōsVerb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine SingularG1096 I come into being, am born
430τετρακόσιαtetrakosiaAdjective - Accusative Neuter PluralG5071 four hundred
yearsἔτηetēNoun - Accusative Neuter PluralG2094 a year
laterμετὰmetaPrepositionG3326 with, after
does not revokeἀκυροῖakyroiVerb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularG208 I annul, make of no effect, cancel
covenantδιαθήκηνdiathēkēnNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG1242 a covenant, will, testament
previously establishedπροκεκυρωμένηνprokekyrōmenēnVerb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Feminine SingularG4300 I establish before
byὑπὸhypoPrepositionG5259 by, under, about
GodΘεοῦTheouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
so asεἰςeisPrepositionG1519 into, in, among, till, for
to nullifyκαταργῆσαιkatargēsaiVerb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveG2673 I bring to naught, sever, abolish
theτὴνtēnArticle - Accusative Feminine SingularG3588 the
promiseἐπαγγελίανepangelianNoun - Accusative Feminine SingularG1860 a promise

Galatians 3:18

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
ForγὰρgarConjunctionG1063 for
ifεἰeiConjunctionG1487 if
theἡhēArticle - Nominative Feminine SingularG3588 the
inheritanceκληρονομίαklēronomiaNoun - Nominative Feminine SingularG2817 an inheritance
depends onἐκekPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
lawνόμουnomouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
no longerοὐκέτιouketiAdverbG3765 no longer, no more
depends onἐξexPrepositionG1537 from out, out from among, from
a promiseἐπαγγελίαςepangeliasNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG1860 a promise
butδὲdeConjunctionG1161 but, on the other hand, and
GodΘεόςTheosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG2316 God, a god
freely grantedκεχάρισταιkecharistaiVerb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularG5483 I show favor to, forgive
to AbrahamἈβραὰμAbraamNoun - Dative Masculine SingularG11 Abraham
throughδι’di’PrepositionG1223 through, on account of
a promiseἐπαγγελίαςepangeliasNoun - Genitive Feminine SingularG1860 a promise

Galatians 3:19

EnglishGreekSounds likeGrammarWord study
WhyΤίTiInterrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularG5101 who, which, what
thenοὖνounConjunctionG3767 therefore, then
theὁhoArticle - Nominative Masculine SingularG3588 the
lawνόμοςnomosNoun - Nominative Masculine SingularG3551 a law, the Mosaic Law
It was addedπροσετέθηprosetethēVerb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person SingularG4369 I put to, add, do again
because ofχάρινcharinPrepositionG5484 on account of
transgressionsπαραβάσεωνparabaseōnNoun - Genitive Feminine PluralG3847 a transgression
untilἄχριςachrisPrepositionG891 as far as, up to, until
arrivalἔλθῃelthēVerb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularG2064 I come, go
of theτὸtoArticle - Nominative Neuter SingularG3588 the
seedσπέρμαspermaNoun - Nominative Neuter SingularG4690 seed, offspring
to whomᾧhōPersonal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter SingularG3739 who, which, what, that
promise referredἐπήγγελταιepēngeltaiVerb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person SingularG1861 I promise, profess
It was administeredδιαταγεὶςdiatageisVerb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine SingularG1299 I give orders to, prescribe
throughδι’di’PrepositionG1223 through, on account of
angelsἀγγέλωνangelōnNoun - Genitive Masculine PluralG32 an angel, messenger
byἐνenPrepositionG1722 in, on, among
a mediatorμεσίτουmesitouNoun - Genitive Masculine SingularG3316 a mediator, go-between

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Galatians 3:16 Genesis 17:7–8 · Romans 4:13 · Luke 1:55 · Genesis 22:17–18 · Galatians 3:27–29 · Romans 4:16 · Genesis 12:7 · Genesis 28:13–14 · Genesis 26:3–4 · Galatians 3:8 · Genesis 12:3 · Genesis 21:12

Galatians 3:17 Hebrews 11:39–40 · Romans 4:13–14 · Exodus 12:40–41 · Genesis 15:13 · 2 Corinthians 1:20 · Hebrews 6:13–18 · Romans 3:3 · Colossians 2:4 · 1 Corinthians 1:17 · Galatians 5:4 · John 1:17 · Isaiah 14:27

Galatians 3:18 Romans 4:13–16 · Galatians 2:21 · Hebrews 6:12–15 · Psalm 105:42 · Galatians 3:29 · Luke 1:72–73 · Luke 1:54–55 · Psalm 105:6–12 · Romans 8:17

Galatians 3:19 Acts 7:53 · Romans 7:7–13 · Hebrews 2:2 · Galatians 3:16 · 1 Timothy 1:8–9 · Romans 5:20–21 · Romans 4:15 · Romans 3:19–20 · Acts 7:38 · Romans 3:1–2 · Deuteronomy 5:5 · Deuteronomy 33:2

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.