Galatians 3:15

Galatians 3:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Brethren, 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.
• English Standard Version (ESV)To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.

Context of Galatians 3:15

13So God's Law shows that it is right for God to punish us. But Christ took that punishment away from us, because God punished him instead of us. It says in the Bible: ‘When people hang someone on a tree to kill him, it shows that God has cursed that person.’ 14Christ died in that way so that God would bless the Gentiles in the way that he blessed Abraham. Also, if we believe in Christ, we can then receive God's Spirit that he promised. My Christian friends, I will use an example from our lives. Two people may make an agreement together and they both agree to it properly. If they do that, nobody else can change that agreement. They cannot take away its authority. 16In the same way, God promised to bless Abraham and Abraham's descendant. The Bible does not say ‘descendants’. It does not speak about ‘many people’. No, God promised to bless Abraham's descendant. He speaks about one person, and that person is Christ. 17What I mean is this: God made an agreement with Abraham. He promised to bless him. Then, 430 years later, God gave his Law to Moses for the Jewish people. But that Law could not take away the authority of God's agreement with Abraham. It could not stop what God had already promised.

Galatians 3:15 word by word

ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω. ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• I speakλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• after the manner ofκατάkata · according toG2596
• menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• Thoughὅμωςhomōs · just asG3676
• covenantδιαθήκηdiathēkē · covenantG1242
• confirmedκυρόωkuroō · to affirmG2964
• no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• disannullethἀθετέωatheteō · to rejectG114
• orἤē · orG2228
• addeth theretoἐπιδιατάσσομαιepidiatassomai · to add toG1928

Cross-references for Galatians 3:15

• Romans 6:19It is difficult for you to understand these things, because you are still weak. So I am using a human picture of slaves to help you to understand better. At one time, you agreed to serve bad things as your master. You let your body do wrong and disgusting things. You continued to do more and more bad things. So now, you must use your body to serve what is right and good. Then you will do more and more good things which show that you belong to God.
• 1 Corinthians 15:32At Ephesus city, people attacked me like wild animals and I fought against them. But that would be worth nothing to me if dead people do not rise to a new life. If dead people do not live again, then we could say: ‘Tomorrow we will probably die. So we should just eat and drink as much as we like.’
• Hebrews 9:17The agreement only has authority after the death of the person who made it. It has no authority while that person is still alive.

Commentaries on Galatians 3:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15I speak after the manner of men - I am about to produce an example taken from civil transactions. If it be confirmed - If an agreement or bond be signed, sealed, and witnessed, and, in this country, being first duly stamped; No man disannulleth - It stands under the protection of the civil law, and nothing can be legally erased or added.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Brethren, I speak after the manner of men - I draw an illustration from what actually occurs among people. The illustration is, that when a contract or agreement is made by people involving obligations and promises, no one can add to it or take from it. It will remain as it was originally made. So with God. He made a solemn promise to Abraham. That promise pertained to his posterity. The blessing was connected with that promise, and it was of the nature…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-18Verses 15-18 The covenant God made with Abraham, was not done away by the giving the law to Moses. The covenant was made with Abraham and his Seed. It is still in force; Christ abideth for ever in his person, and his spiritual seed, who are his by faith. By this we learn the difference between the promises of the law and those of the gospel. The promises of the law are made to the person of every man; the promises of the gospel are first made to Christ…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15When a person dies, their written instructions about who should receive their property (called a will) cannot be changed. These instructions must be followed exactly as they were written.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. I speak after the manner of men--I take an illustration from a merely human transaction of everyday occurrence. but a man's covenant--whose purpose it is far less important to maintain. if it be confirmed--when once it hath been ratified. no man disannulleth--"none setteth aside," not even the author himself, much less any second party. None does so who acts in common equity. Much less would the righteous God do so. The law is here, by…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:15

• Abraham
• Contracts
• Covenant
• Faith
• Inheritance
• Salvation
• Will
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Conclude
• Curse
• Disannul
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• 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