Galatians 3:19

Galatians 3:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Wherefore 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.
• New King James Version (NKJV)What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Context of Galatians 3:19

17My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God and thus cancel the promise. 18For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise. Why, then, was the law given? It was added for the sake of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise was made would come. The law was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not just for one person alone, but God is one. 21Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if the law had been granted with the ability to give life, then righteousness would certainly be on the basis of the law.

Galatians 3:19 word by word

Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος; τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, διαταγεὶς δι᾽ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whereforeτίςtis · which?G5101
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the lawὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• It was addedπροστίθημιprostithēmi · to add (to)G4369
• becauseχάρινcharin · because ofG5484
• of transgressionsπαράβασιςparabasis · transgressionG3847
• tillἄχριachri achris · untilG891
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• the seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
• should comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• the promise was madeἐπαγγέλλωepaggellō · to professG1861
• ordainedδιατάσσωdiatassō · to directG1299
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• angelsἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the handχείρcheir · handG5495
• of a mediatorμεσίτηςmesitēs · mediatorG3316

Cross-references for Galatians 3:19

• Romans 3:1So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision?
• Romans 7:7What should we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law. For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.
• Galatians 3:21Is the law therefore contrary to God’s promises? Absolutely not! For if the law had been granted with the ability to give life, then righteousness would certainly be on the basis of the law.
• Deuteronomy 4:8And what great nation has righteous statutes and ordinances like this entire law I set before you today?
• Psalms 147:19He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel.
• Luke 16:31“But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”
• John 5:45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope.
• John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin.
• Romans 2:13For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.
• Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are subject to the law, so that every mouth may be shut and the whole world may become subject to God’s judgment.
• Romans 4:15because the law produces wrath. And where there is no law, there is no transgression.
• Romans 5:20The law came along to multiply the trespass. But where sin multiplied, grace multiplied even more
• 1 Timothy 1:8But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.
• Galatians 3:16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ.
• Galatians 4:1Now I say that as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.
• Deuteronomy 33:2He said: The Lord came from Sinai and appeared to them from Seir; he shone on them from Mount Paran and came with ten thousand holy ones, with lightning from his right hand for them.

Commentaries on Galatians 3:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Wherefore then serveth the law? - If the law does not annul the Abrahamic covenant, and cannot confer salvation on its votaries, why did God give it? This was a very natural objection, and must arise in the mind of any Jew who had paid attention to the apostle's reasoning. It was added because of transgressions - It was given that we might know our sinfulness, and the need we stood in of the mercy of God. The law is the right line, the straight edge, that…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19Wherefore then serveth the law? - This is obviously an objection which might be urged to the reasoning which the apostle had pursued. It was very obvious to ask, if the principles which he had laid down were correct, of what use was the Law? Why was it given at all? Why were there so many wonderful exhibitions of the divine power at its promulgation? Why were there so many commendations of it in the Scriptures? And why were there so many injunctions to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-22Verses 19-22 If that promise was enough for salvation, wherefore then serveth the law? The Israelites, though chosen to be God's peculiar people, were sinners as well as others. The law was not intended to discover a way of justification, different from that made known by the promise, but to lead men to see their need of the promise, by showing the sinfulness of sin, and to point to Christ, through whom alone they could be pardoned and justified. The…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19If people do not receive God's inheritance through the law, why was the law given to Moses? It was to show people their sins and make it clear that sinful actions are wrongs done against God. People cannot rely on their own goodness to save them. Instead, they must trust in God (see Romans 3:19–20; 4:15; 5:20; 7:7–13). until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred: See Galatians 3:16. While the promise is permanent, the law of Moses was…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1919. "Wherefore then serveth the law?" as it is of no avail for justification, is it either useless, or contrary to the covenant of God? [Calvin]. added--to the original covenant of promise. This is not inconsistent with Ga 3:15, "No man addeth thereto"; for there the kind of addition meant, and therefore denied, is one that would add new conditions, inconsistent with the grace of the covenant of promise. The law, though misunderstood by the Judaizers as…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:19

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Faith
• Jesus, the Christ
• Law
• Prophets
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Conclude
• Curse
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Mediator
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster
• Shut
• Accommodation

Commentaries on Galatians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings