Galatians 3:17

Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.

World English Bible
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WEBBE

Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.

BSB

What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.

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.

ASV

Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.

BBE

Now this I say: The law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not put an end to the agreement made before by God, so as to make the undertaking without effect.

Original Greek

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τοῦτο touto This G3778 δὲ de now G1161 λέγω legō I say G3004 διαθήκην diathēkēn [The] covenant G1242 προκεκυρωμένην prokekurōmenēn confirmed beforehand G4300 ὑπὸ hupo by G5259 τοῦ tou (the) G3588 θεοῦ theou God G2316 εἰς eis into G1519 Χριστὸν Christon Christ G5547 ὁ ho (the) G3588 μετὰ meta afterward G3326 τετρακόσια tetrakosia four hundred G5071 καὶ kai and G2532 τριάκοντα triakonta thirty G5144 ἔτη etē years G2094 γεγονὼς gegonōs having come G1096 νόμος nomos [the] law G3551 οὐκ ouk not G3756 ἀκυροῖ akuroi does annul G208 εἰς eis so as G1519 τὸ to (the) G3588 καταργῆσαι katargēsai to nullify G2673 τὴν tēn the G3588 ἐπαγγελίαν epangelian promise G1860

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 →

Cross-references

37

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Jesus

Topics

Israel

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