New International Version
Galatians 3:19
19Why, 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Why, then, was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people.
Context of Galatians 3:19
17What 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. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 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. 20A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 21Is 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.
Read all of Galatians 3Galatians 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 3:1What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
- Romans 7:7What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
- Galatians 3:21Is 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.
- Deuteronomy 4:8And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?
- Psalms 147:19He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.
- Luke 16:31“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ”
- John 5:45“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.
- John 15:22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
- Romans 2:13For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
- Romans 3:19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
- Romans 4:15because the law brings wrath. And where there is no law there is no transgression.
- Romans 5:20The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,
- 1 Timothy 1:8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly.
- Galatians 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.
- Galatians 4:1What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate.
- Deuteronomy 33:2He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.
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
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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