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

17This is what I mean: The laws ⌞given to Moses⌟ 430 years after God had already put his promise ⌞to Abraham⌟ into effect didn’t cancel the promise ⌞to Abraham⌟. 18If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise. What, then, is the purpose of the laws given to Moses? They were added to identify what wrongdoing is. Moses’ laws did this until the descendant to whom the promise was given came. It was put into effect through angels, using a mediator. 20A mediator is not used when there is only one person involved, and God has acted on his own. 21Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them.

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 3:1Is there any advantage, then, in being a Jew? Or is there any value in being circumcised?
• Romans 7:7What should we say, then? Are the laws in Moses’ Teachings sinful? That’s unthinkable! In fact, I wouldn’t have recognized sin if those laws hadn’t shown it to me. For example, I wouldn’t have known that some desires are sinful if Moses’ Teachings hadn’t said, “Never have wrong desires.”
• Galatians 3:21Does this mean, then, that the laws given to Moses contradict God’s promises? That’s unthinkable! If those laws could give us life, then certainly we would receive God’s approval because we obeyed them.
• Deuteronomy 4:8Or what other great nation has such fair laws and rules as all these teachings I am giving you today?
• Psalms 147:19He speaks his word to Jacob, his laws and judicial decisions to Israel.
• Luke 16:31“Abraham answered him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses’ ⌞Teachings⌟ and the Prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone comes back to life.’ ”
• John 5:45“Don’t think that I will accuse you in the presence of the Father. Moses, the one you trust, is already accusing you.
• John 15:22If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
• Romans 2:13People who merely listen to the laws in Moses’ Teachings don’t have God’s approval. Rather, people who do what those laws demand will have God’s approval.
• Romans 3:19We know that whatever the Scriptures say applies to everyone under their influence, and no one can say a thing. The whole world is brought under the judgment of God.
• Romans 4:15The laws in Moses’ Teachings bring about anger. But where those laws don’t exist, they can’t be broken.
• Romans 5:20The laws in Moses’ Teachings were added to increase the failure. But where sin increased, God’s kindness increased even more.
• 1 Timothy 1:8We know that the laws in Moses’ Teachings are good if they are used as they were intended to be used.
• Galatians 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture doesn’t say, “descendants,” referring to many, but “your descendant,” referring to one. That descendant is Christ.
• Galatians 4:1Let me explain further. As long as an heir is a child, he is no better off than a slave, even though he owns everything.
• Deuteronomy 33:2He said, “The Lord came from Sinai. For his people he rose from Seir ⌞like the sun⌟. He appeared like sunshine from Mount Paran. He came with tens of thousands of holy ones. On his right was a raging fire 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