Galatians 3:21

Galatians 3:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Is 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

Context of Galatians 3:21

19Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary. 20Now an intermediary is not for one party alone, but God is one. Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the scripture imprisoned everything and everyone under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ – to those who believe. 23Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed.

Galatians 3:21 word by word

Ὁ οὖν νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ; μὴ γένοιτο. εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι, ὄντως ἐκ νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• the lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• againstκατάkata · according toG2596
• the promisesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the promisesἐπαγγελίαepaggelia · promiseG1860
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• God forbidμήmē · notG3361
• God forbidγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifεἰei · ifG1487
• there had beenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• could haveδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410
• given lifeζωοποιέωzōopoieō · to make aliveG2227
• verilyὄντωςontōs · reallyG3689
• ·ἄνan · ifG302
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• should have beenεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• byἐκek ex · out fromG1537

Cross-references for Galatians 3:21

• Matthew 5:17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.
• Romans 3:31Do we then nullify the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead we uphold the law.
• Romans 7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”
• Galatians 2:17But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!
• Romans 3:4Absolutely not! Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”
• Galatians 2:19For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God.
• Romans 3:20For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.
• Romans 3:21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed –
• Romans 9:31but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it.
• Romans 10:3For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.
• Philippians 3:6In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless.
• Hebrews 11:7By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Commentaries on Galatians 3:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Is the law then against the promises of God? - Is it possible that the intervention of the law, in reference to one part of the Abrahamic seed, should annul the promise made to the other? It is impossible. For if there had been a law, etc. - If any law or rule of life could have been found out that would have given life - saved sinners from death, and made them truly happy, then righteousness- justification, should have been by that law.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Is the law then against the promises of God? - Is the Law of Moses to be regarded as opposed to the promises made to Abraham? Does this follow from any view which can be taken of the subject? The object of the apostle in asking this question is, evidently, to take an opportunity to deny in the most positive manner that there can be any such clashing or contradiction. He shows, therefore, what was the design of the Law, and declares that the object was 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. 21There is no conflict of purpose between law and promise or between law and faith. The law works with the promise to help people believe in Jesus. The purpose of the law is to show that people are trapped by their sins (3:19, 22). It is also meant to help people not sin (3:23–25). In Galatia, the Judaizers tried to convince non-Jewish Christians that the law could do something it was never meant to do. The law was never meant to give new life and make…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. "Is the law (which involves a mediator) against the promises of God (which are without a mediator, and rest on God alone and immediately)? God forbid." life--The law, as an externally prescribed rule, can never internally impart spiritual life to men naturally dead in sin, and change the disposition. If the law had been a law capable of giving life, "verily (in very reality, and not in the mere fancy of legalists) righteousness would have been by the…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:21

• Faith
• Justification
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Conclude
• Curse
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster
• Shut

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