English Standard Version
Galatians 3:17
17This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void.
Galatians 3:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
- New Living Translation (NLT)This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise.
Context of Galatians 3:17
15To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, "And to offsprings," referring to many, but referring to one, "And to your offspring," who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19Why 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.
Read all of Galatians 3Galatians 3:17 word by word
τοῦτο δὲ λέγω· διαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ μετὰ τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς νόμος οὐκ ἀκυροῖ εἰς τὸ καταργῆσαι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andδέde · thenG1161
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- the covenantδιαθήκηdiathēkē · covenantG1242
- that was confirmed beforeπροκυρόομαιprokuroō · to establishG4300
- ofὑπόhupo · by/under: byG5259
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- inεἰςeis · towardG1519
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
- wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
- four hundredτετρακόσιοιtetrakosioi tetrakosia · four hundredG5071
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- thirtyτριάκονταtriakonta · thirtyG5144
- yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094
- afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- cannotοὐou · noG3756
- disannulἀκυρόωakuroō · to nullifyG208
- it should makeκαταργέωkatargeō · to abateG2673
- the promiseἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
Cross-references for Galatians 3:17
- Galatians 5:16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
- 1 Corinthians 1:12What I mean is that each one of you says, "I follow Paul," or "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Cephas," or "I follow Christ."
- 1 Corinthians 7:29This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,
- 1 Corinthians 10:19What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
- 2 Corinthians 9:6The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
- Ephesians 4:17Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
- Colossians 2:4I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.
- Genesis 15:18On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
- Genesis 17:7And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.
- Luke 1:68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
- John 1:17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- John 8:56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."
- Romans 3:25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
- 2 Corinthians 1:20For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
- Hebrews 11:13These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
- 1 Peter 1:11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
Commentaries on Galatians 3:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Confirmed before of God in Christ - i.e. The promise of justification, etc., made to believers in Christ Jesus, who are the spiritual seed of Christ, as they are children of Abraham, from the similitude of their faith. Abraham believed in God, and it was reckoned to him for justification; the Gentiles believed in Christ, and received justification. Probably the word Christ is to be taken, both here and in the preceding verse, for Christians, as has…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17The covenant which was confirmed before of God - By God, in his promise to Abraham. It was confirmed before the giving of the Law. The confirmation was the solemn promise which God made to him. In Christ - With respect to the Messiah; a covenant relating to him, and which promised that he should descend from Abraham. The word “in,” in the phrase “in Christ,” does not quite express the meaning of the Greek ̓ ̀ eis ChristonThat means rather “unto Christ;”…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. 17Just as human covenants cannot be canceled (3:15), the terms of God's covenant with Abraham were not changed when God gave Moses the law. 430 years: See study note on Exodus 12:40.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. this I say--"this is what I mean," by what I said in Ga 3:15. continued ... of God--"ratified by God" (Ga 3:15). in Christ--rather, "unto Christ" (compare Ga 3:16). However, Vulgate and the old Italian versions translate as English Version. But the oldest manuscripts omit the words altogether. the law which was--Greek, "which came into existence four hundred thirty years after" (Ex 12:40, 41). He does not, as in the case of "the covenant," add…Read the comment
Topics related to Galatians 3:17
In the dictionaries
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
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