Galatians 3:16

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.

BSB

The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

KJV

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

ASV

Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

BBE

Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ.

Original Greek

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τῷ tō (the) G3588 δὲ de And G1161 Ἀβραὰμ Abraam to Abraham G11 ἐρρέθησαν errethēsan were spoken G2046 αἱ hai the G3588 ἐπαγγελίαι epangeliai promises G1860 καὶ kai and G2532 τῷ tō to the G3588 σπέρματι spermati seed G4690 αὐτοῦ autou of him G846 οὐ ou Not G3756 λέγει legei it does say G3004 καὶ kai and G2532 τοῖς tois (the) G3588 σπέρμασιν spermasin to seeds G4690 ὡς hōs as G5613 ἐπὶ epi of G1909 πολλῶν pollōn many G4183 ἀλλ all᾽ but G235 ὡς hōs as G5613 ἐφ eph᾽ of G1909 ἑνός henos One G1520 καὶ kai and G2532 τῷ tō to the G3588 σπέρματί spermati seed G4690 σου sou of you G4771 ὅς hos who G3739 ἐστιν estin is G1510 Χριστός Christos Christ G5547

The early church

Thus God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that in his seed the blessing should come upon the heathen; and this blessing the Law cannot turn aside. As this example was not in all respects appropriate to the matter in hand, he introduces it thus, "I speak after the manner of men," that nothing might be deduced from it derogatory to the majesty of God. But let us go to the bottom of this illustration. It was promised Abraham that by his seed the heathen should be blessed; and his seed according to the flesh is Christ; four hundred and thirty years after came the Law; now, if the Law bestows the blessings even life and righteousness, that promise is annulled. And so while no one annuls a man's covenant, the covenant of God after four hundred and thirty years is annulled; for if not that covenant but another instead of it bestows what is promised, then is it set aside, which is most unreasonable.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Galatians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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, then by him to those who are by faith ingrafted into Christ. Rightly to divide the word of truth, a great difference must be put between the promise and the law, as to the inward affections, and the whole practice of life. When the promise is mingled with the law, it is made nothing but the law. Let Christ be always before our eyes, as a sure argument for the defence of faith, against dependence on human righteousness.

Read Matthew Henry on Galatians 3 →

Parallel passages

1

The same words or events elsewhere, including Old Testament passages quoted in the New.

Genesis 12:7

Cross-references

24

People & places

JesusAbraham

Topics

Jesus, The ChristQuotations And Allusions

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.