Galatians 3

Galatians · Chapter 3

Galatians 3:19

1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.11But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.13Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.17And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.19Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.20Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.21Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
19Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.Why 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.What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Galatians 3:15-22The promise came before the law

About Galatians 3"O foolish Galatians," Paul asks whether they received the Spirit "by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith," and points to Abraham, who "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness," so that "they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." The law brings a curse on all who fail to keep it, but "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us," and the promise made to Abraham and "to thy seed, which is Christ" cannot be set aside by the law that came 430 years later. The law "was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ," and now "ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus," all "one in Christ Jesus," and "heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:1Galatians 3:2Galatians 3:6Galatians 3:7Galatians 3:10Galatians 3:13Galatians 3:16Galatians 3:17Galatians 3:24Galatians 3:26Galatians 3:28Galatians 3:29

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
WhyΤίTiG5101
which?

τίς (tis) τίς, neut., τί, genitive, τίνος, interrog. pron., [in LXX for מָה ,מִי ;] in masc. and fem., who, which, what?; in neut., which, what?, used both in direct and in indirect questions. I. I. As subst., 1. 1. masc., fem.: τίς; who, what?, Mat.3:7 26:68; Mrk.11:28, Luk.9:9, al. mult.; with genitive partit., Act.7:52, Heb.1:5, al; before ἐκ (= genitive partit.), Mat.6:27, Luk.14:28, Jhn.8:46; = ποῖος, Mrk.4:41 6:2, Luk.19:3, Act.17:19, al.; = πότερος (M, Pr., 77), Mat.21:31 27:17, Luk.22:27, al.; = ὅς or ὅστις (rare in cl.; cf. Bl., §50, 5; M, Pr., 93), Act.13:25. …

thenοὖνounG3767
therefore/then

οὖν (oun) οὖν, particle expressing consequence or simple sequence (never standing first in a sentence), wherefore, therefore, then: Mat.3:10, Luk.3:9, Jhn.8:38, Act.1:21, Rom.5:9, al.; in exhortations, Mat.3:8, Luk.11:35, Act.3:19, Rom.6:12, al.; in questions, Mat.13:28, Mrk.15:12, Jhn.8:[5], Rom.6:1, al.; continuing a narrative or resuming it after a digression, Mat.1:17, Luk.3:18, Jhn.1:22 2:18 (and very frequently in this Gospel), Act.26:22, al.; ἄρα οὖν (see: ἄρα); ἐπεὶ οὖν, Heb.2:14; οὖν with ptcp. (= ἐπεὶ οὖν), Act.2:30, Rom.5:1, al.; ἐὰν οὖν (where οὖν rather in sense belongs to the apodosis), …

Law?νόμος;nomosG3551
law

νόμος (nomos) νόμος, -ου, ὁ (νέμω, to deal out, distribute), [in LXX chiefly for תּוֹרָה, also for חֻקָּה, etc. ;] that which is assigned, hence, usage, custom, then law; in NT (only in Mt, Jo, Ja, and the Lucan and Pauline bks.); 1. of law in general: Rom.3:27 5:13b; pl., of divine laws, Heb.8:10 10:16; ὁ ν. τ. Χριστοῦ, Gal.6:2; (τ.) ἐλευθερίας, Jas.1:25 2:12; βασιλικιός (Hort., in l.; Deiss., LAE, 267:3), Jas.2:8. 2. Of a force or influence impelling to action: Rom.7:21, 23a, 25 8:2. …

transgressionsπαραβάσεωνparabaseōnG3847
transgression

παράβασις (parabasis) παρά-βασις, -εως, ἡ (παραβαίνω), [in LXX: Psa.101:3 (שֵׂט), 4Ki.2:24 A, Wis.14:31, 2Ma.15:10 * ;] 1. a going aside, a deviation (Arist.). 2. In later writers, an overstepping; metaphorically, transgression (Plut., al.) : Rom.4:15 5:14, Heb.2:2 9:15; τ. νόμου, Rom.2:23; ἐν π., 1Ti.2:14; τ. παραβάσεων χάριν, Gal.3:19 SYN.: see: ἁμαρτία (AS)

Because ofχάρινcharinG5484
because of

χάριν (charin) therefore, because of this, for this reason the acc. sg form of the noun χάριν which can be used as an improper preposition, on account of, because of, for this reason Lk. 7:47; Eph. 3:1, 14; 1Jn. 3:12; for the sake of, in order to, Gal. 3:19; Tit. 1:5, 11; Jude 16; on the score of, 1Tim. 5:14*

it was addedπροσετέθηprosetethēG4369
to add (to)

προστίθημι (prostithēmi) προσ-τίθημι [in LXX chiefly for יָסַף hi., also for אָסַף ni., etc. ;] 1. to put to. 2. to add, join to, give in addition: with accusative before ἐπί, Mat.6:27, Luk.3:20 12:25; ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, Act.2:47; with accusative and dative, Luk.17:5, Heb.12:19 (see MM, xxi); pass., absol., Act.2:41, Gal.3:19; with dative, Mat.6:33, Mrk.4:24, Luk.12:31, Act.5:14 11:24; προσιτέθη πρὸς τ. πατέρας (cf. Gen.26:8, Jdg.2:10, al.), Act.13:36; with inf., of repeating or continuing the action signified by the following verb, as in Heb. idiom (Gen.4:2 8:12, al.; cf. WM, § 54, 5; Lft. on Clem., 1Co., xii; but see a …

untilἄχριςachrisG0891
until

ἄχρι (achri) ἄχρι (and Epic ἄχρις, bef. vowel (see MM, see word), Rom.11:25 T, Gal.3:19 T, WH, mg., Heb.3:13); 1. adv., utterly (Hom.). 2. Prep. with genitive, until, unto, as far as; (a) of time Act.3:21 22:22, Rom.1:13 5:13, 1Co.4:11, 2Co.3:14, Gal.4:2, Php.1:6; ἄ. καιροῦ, Luk.4:13, Act.13:11; ἄ. ἧς ἡμέρας, Mat.24:38, Luk.1:20 17:27, Act.1:2 (τῆς ἡ. ἧς), Act.1:22; ἄ. ταύτης τ. ἡμέρας (τ. ἡ. ταύτης), Act.2:29 23:1 26:22; ἄ. ἡμερων πέντε, Act.20:6; ἄ. αὐγῆς, Act.20:11; ἄ. τοῦ νῦν, Rom.8:22, Php.1:5; ἄ. τέλους, Heb.6:11, Rev.2:26; …

thatοὗhouG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

may have comeἔλθῃelthēG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

seedσπέρμαspermaG4690G
seed: offspring

σπέρμα (sperma) σπέρμα, -τος, τό (σπείρω) [in LXX chiefly for זֶרַע ;] seed; (a) of plants: Mat.13:24, 27 13:37-38, 2Co.9:10; pl., Mat.13:32, Mrk.4:31, 1Co.15:33; metaphorically, of an escaping remnant (שָׂרִיד, Isa.1:9; cf. Wis.14:6; Plat., Tim., 23c; FlJ, Ant., xi, 5, 3), Rom.9:29; …

to whomᾧhōG3739
which

ὅς (hos, hē) ὅς, ἥ, ὅ, the postpositive article (ἄρθρον ὑποτακτικόν). I. As demonstr. pron. = οὗτος, ὅδε, this, that, also for αὐτός, chiefly in nom.: ὅς δέ, but he (cf. ἦ δὲ ὅς, frequently in Plat.), Mrk.15:23, Jhn.5:11; ὃς μὲν . . . ὃς δέ, the one . . . the other, Mat.21:35, 22:5, 25:15, Luk.23:33, Act.27:14, Rom.14:5, 1Co.11:21, 2Co.2:18, Ju 22; neut., ὃ μὲν . . . ὃ δέ, the one . . . the other, some . . . some, Mat.13:8, 23, Rom.9:21; ὃς (ὃ) μὲν . . . (ἄλλος (ἄλλο)) . . . ἕτερος, Mrk.4:4, Luk.8:5, 1Co.12:8-10; οὓς μέν, absol., 1Co.12:28; ὃς μὲν . . . ὁ δέ, Rom.14:2. …

promise has been made,ἐπήγγελται,epēngeltaiG1861
to profess

ἐπαγγέλλω (epangellō) ἐπ-αγγέλλω [in LXX: Est.4:8 (אָמַר), Pro.13:12, Wis.2:13, al. ;] 1. to announce, proclaim. 2. (a) to promise; (b) to profess. Mid., also frequently in both these senses; (with) to promise: with dab. of person(s), Heb.6:13; with accusative of thing(s), Rom.4:21, Tit.1:2; with dative of person(s) and accusative of thing(s), Jas.1:12 2:5, 2Pe.2:19; ἐπαγγελίαν, 1Jn.2:25; with inf., Mrk.14:11, Act.7:5; before λέγων, Heb.12:26; ptcp., Heb.10:23 11:11; (d) to profess: θεοσέβειαν, 1Ti.2:10; γνῶσιν, 1Ti.6:21. Pass., Gal.3:19 (cf. προ-επαγγέλλω; and see Cremer, 26).† (AS)

having been ordainedδιαταγεὶςdiatageisG1299
to direct

διατάσσω (diatassō) δια-τάσσω [in LXX for שׂוּם, שָׁמַר, etc. ;] to charge, give orders to, appoint, arrange, ordain: with dative, Mat.11:1, 1Co.9:14 16:1; before inf., Luk.8:55, Act.18:2. Mid., 1Co.7:17, Act.20:13; with accusative, 1Co.11:34; with dative, Tit.1:5; before inf., Act.7:44 24:23. Pass., τὸ διατεταγμένον, Luk.3:13, Act.23:31; τὰ διαταχθέντα, Luk.17:9-10; διαταγείς, Gal.3:19.† (AS)

throughδι᾽di᾽G1223
through/because of

διά (dia) διά (before a vowel δ᾽, exc. Rom.8:10, 2Co.5:7, and in (Proper name)s; Tdf., Pr., 94), prep. with genitive, accusative, as in cl.; 1. with genitive, through; (i) of Place, after verbs of motion or action: Mat.2:12 12:43, Mrk.2:23, Luk.4:30, Jhn.4:4, 2Co.11:33, al.; σώζεσθαι (διας-) δ. πυρός, ὕδατος, 1Co.3:15, 1Pe.3:20; βλέπειν δ. ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; metaphorically, of a state or condition: Rom.14:20, 2Co.2:4 5:7, 10; δ. γράμματος, ἀκροβυστίας (Lft., Notes, 263, 279), Rom.2:27 4:11; δι ̓ὑπομενῆς, Rom.8:25. (ii) Of Time; …

angelsἀγγέλωνangelōnG0032G
angel

ἄγγελος (angelos) ἄγγελος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for מַלְאָךְ ;] 1. a messenger, one sent: Mat.11:10, Jas.22:25. 2. As in LXX, in the special sense of angel, a spiritual, heavenly being, attendant upon God and employed as his messenger to men, to make known his purposes, as Luk.1:11, or to execute them, as Mat.4:6. The ἄ. in Rev.1:20-2:1, al., is variously understood as (1) a messenger or delegate, (2) a bishop or ruler, (3) a guardian angel, (4) the prevailing spirit of each church, i.e. the Church itself. (Cf. Swete, Ap)., in l.; DB, iv, 991; Thayer, see word; Cremer, 18; MM, VGT, see word) (AS)

inἐνenG1722
in/on/among

ἐν (en) ἐν, prep, (the most frequently of all in NT), with dative (= Heb. בְּ, Lat. in, with abl.). I. Of place, with dative of thing(s), of person(s), in, within, on, at, by, among: ἐν τ. πόλει, Luk.7:37; τ. οφθαλμῷ, Mat.7:3; τ. κοιλίᾳ, Mat.12:40; τ. ὄρει, 2Pe.1:18; τ. θρόνῳ, Rev.3:21; τ. δεξιᾷ τ. θεοῦ, Rom.8:34; ἐν ἡμῖν Abbott-Smith has ὑμῖν., Luk.1:1; of books, ἐν τ. βιβλίῳ, Gal.3:10; τ. νόμῳ, Mat.12:5, al.; ἐν τοῖς τ. Πατρός, in my Father's house (RV; cf. M, Pr., 103), Luk.2:49; trop., of the region of thought or feeling, ἐν τ. καρδίᾳ (-αις), Mat.5:28, 2Co.4:6, al.; τ. συνειδήσεσιν, 2Co.5:11; af …

[the] handχειρὶcheiriG5495
hand

χείρ (cheir) χείρ, genitive, χειρος (accusative, χεῖραν, 1Pe.5:6 T), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for יָד ;] the hand: Mat.3:12, Mrk.3:1, Luk.6:6, al. mult.; ἡ χ., acting subject, Luk.22:21; pl., Act.17:25 20:34, 1Jn.1:1; τ. ἔργα τῶν χ., Act.7:41, Rev.9:20; ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τ. ἐμῇ χ., 1Co.16:21, Col.4:18, 2Th.3:17; prepositional phrases, esp. those without art., similar to Heb. constructions (Bl., §32, 4; 40, 9; 46, 9), ἐν χ.; with genitive (Lft., in l.), Gal.3:19; σὺν χ. ἀγγέλου, Act.7:35; διὰ (τῶν) χειρῶν (διὰ χειρός), Mrk.6:2, Act.5:12 7:25, al.; ἐπὶ χειρῶν, Mat.4:6, Luk.4:11; ellipse of χ. (ἡ δεξία, ἀριστερα; Bl., § …

of a mediator.μεσίτου.mesitouG3316
mediator

μεσίτης (mesitēs) μεσίτης, -ου, ὁ (μέσος), [in LXX: Job.9:33 (בֵּין)* ;] an arbitrator, mediator: Gal.3:19; with dupl. genitive of person(s), θεοῦ κ. ἀνθρώπων, 1Ti.2:5; with genitive of thing(s), διαθήκης, Heb.8:6 9:15 12:24; ὁ δε μ. ἑνὸς οὐκ ἔστιν, Gal.3:20 (see Lft., in l; and for exx. of this word in π., see MM, xvi).† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.