Parallel Verses
Youngs Literal Translation
Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator --
New American Standard Bible
King James Version
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.
Holman Bible
Why then was the law given?
International Standard Version
Why, then, was the Law added? Because of transgressions, until the descendant came about whom the promise pertained. It was put into effect through angels by means of a mediator.
A Conservative Version
Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the seed would come to whom it was promised, which was arranged through heavenly agents in the hand of a mediator.
American Standard Version
What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Amplified
Why, then, the Law [what was its purpose]? It was added [after the promise to Abraham, to reveal to people their guilt] because of transgressions [that is, to make people conscious of the sinfulness of sin], and [the Law] was ordained through angels and delivered to Israel by the hand of a mediator [Moses, the mediator between God and Israel, to be in effect] until the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
An Understandable Version
What then is [the benefit of] the law of Moses? It was introduced [as part of God's revelation] in order to define what sin was, until the seed [i.e., Jesus] would come, to whom the promise [of never ending life] was made. The law of Moses was ordained through [the medium of] angels and [delivered] through the hand of an intermediary [i.e., Moses].
Anderson New Testament
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added on account of transgressions, (till the offspring should come, to whom the promise was made,) having been appointed through the service of angels, in the hand of a mediator.
Bible in Basic English
What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between.
Common New Testament
Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
Daniel Mace New Testament
"To what purpose then was the law?" it was added as a check to transgressors, till the offspring should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels with the intervention of a mediator.
Darby Translation
Why then the law? It was added for the sake of transgressions, until the seed came to whom the promise was made, ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator.
Godbey New Testament
Then what is the law? It was added on account of the transgressions, until the seed to whom the promise was made should come; being ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Goodspeed New Testament
Then what about the Law? It was a later addition, designed to produce transgressions, until the descendant to which the promise was made should come, and it was enacted by means of angels, through an intermediary;
John Wesley New Testament
Wherefore then was 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.
Julia Smith Translation
What then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, (till the seed come to whom it was promised;) appointed by angels in the hand of a mediator.
King James 2000
Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the descendant should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Modern King James verseion
Why then the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to those to whom it had been promised, being ordained through angels in the Mediator's hand.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Wherefore then serveth the law? The law was added because of transgression - till the seed came, to which the promise was made - and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Moffatt New Testament
Then what about the Law? Well, it was interpolated for the purpose of producing transgressions till such time as the Offspring arrived to whom the Promise was made; also, it was transmitted by means of angels through the agency of an intermediary
Montgomery New Testament
To what purpose, then, was the Law? It was imposed later for the sake of transgressions, until the "Offspring" should come to whom the promise had been made. It was arranged through angels by the hand of a mediator.
NET Bible
Why 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.
New Heart English Bible
What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Noyes New Testament
To what end then was the Law? It was added because of transgressions, till the offspring should come to whom the promise belongeth, having been ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Sawyer New Testament
What then? The law was added on account of transgressions, till the offspring should come to which the promise was made, being appointed by angels by the hand of a mediator.
The Emphasized Bible
Why, then, the law? Because of the transgressions, it was added, until such time as the seed should come, unto whom the promise had been made, and was given in charge through messengers, at the hand of a mediator;
Thomas Haweis New Testament
To what end then was the law given? It was given on account of transgressions, until that seed should come to whom the promise was made, being delivered through the ministry of angels into the hand of a mediator.
Twentieth Century New Testament
What, then, you ask, was the use of the Law? It was a later addition, to make men conscious of their wrong-doings, and intended to last only till the coming of that 'offspring' to whom the promise had been made; and it was delivered through angels by a mediator.
Webster
What purpose 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.
Weymouth New Testament
Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.
Williams New Testament
Then what about the law? It was added later on to increase transgressions, until the descendant to whom the promise was made should come, enacted through the agency of angels in the person of an intermediary.
World English Bible
What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Worrell New Testament
What, then, is the law? It was added because of the transgressions, until the Seed should come to Whom it had been promised; having been arranged through angels in the hand of a mediator.
Worsley New Testament
What then availeth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made; and it was delivered by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Themes
Angel (a spirit) » Functions of » Law given by
Christ, the mediator » Typified
Jesus Christ » Mediation of » Typified » By moses
Law » Received by the disposition of angels
Law » Was given because of transgressions until the messiah arrived
The law of God » Given » Through the ministration of angels
Ordination » What has been ordained
Topics
Interlinear
Prostithemi
Charin
Diatasso
Dia
References
American
Easton
Fausets
Hastings
Morish
Watsons
Word Count of 37 Translations in Galatians 3:19
Images Galatians 3:19
Prayers for Galatians 3:19
Verse Info
Context Readings
The Addition Of The Law
18 for if by law be the inheritance, it is no more by promise, but to Abraham through promise did God grant it. 19 Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator -- 20 and the mediator is not of one, and God is one --
Phrases
Cross References
Acts 7:53
who received the law by arrangement of messengers, and did not keep it.'
Galatians 3:16
and to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed; He doth not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to thy seed,' which is Christ;
Deuteronomy 5:5
I am standing between Jehovah and you, at that time, to declare to you the word of Jehovah, for ye have been afraid from the presence of the fire, and ye have not gone up into the mount; saying:
Romans 7:7-13
What, then, shall we say? the law is sin? let it not be! but the sin I did not know except through law, for also the covetousness I had not known if the law had not said:
Hebrews 2:2
for if the word being spoken through messengers did become stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience did receive a just recompense,
Acts 7:38
'This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the messenger who is speaking to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who did receive the living oracles to give to us;
Romans 4:15
for the law doth work wrath; for where law is not, neither is transgression.
Exodus 20:19-22
and say unto Moses, 'Speak thou with us, and we hear, and let not God speak with us, lest we die.'
Exodus 24:1-12
And unto Moses He said, 'Come up unto Jehovah, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and ye have bowed yourselves afar off;'
Exodus 34:27-35
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Write for thyself these words, for, according to the tenor of these words I have made with thee a covenant, and with Israel.'
Leviticus 15:32
This is the law of him who hath an issue, and of him whose seed of copulation goeth out from him, for uncleanness thereby,
Deuteronomy 4:8-9
and which is the great nation which hath righteous statutes and judgments according to all this law which I am setting before you to-day?
Deuteronomy 5:22-33
These words hath Jehovah spoken unto all your assembly, in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness -- a great voice; and He hath not added, and He writeth them on two tables of stone, and giveth them unto me.
Deuteronomy 9:13-20
And Jehovah speaketh unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and lo, a people stiff of neck it is;
Deuteronomy 9:25-29
And I throw myself before Jehovah, the forty days and the forty nights, as I had thrown myself, for Jehovah hath said -- to destroy you;
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee -- unto him ye hearken;
Deuteronomy 33:2
and he saith: -- 'Jehovah from Sinai hath come, And hath risen from Seir for them; He hath shone from mount Paran, And hath come with myriads of holy ones; At His right hand are springs for them.
Psalm 106:23
And He saith to destroy them, Unless Moses, His chosen one, Had stood in the breach before Him, To turn back His wrath from destroying.
Psalm 147:19-20
Declaring His words to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel.
Luke 16:31
And he said to him, If Moses and the prophets they do not hear, neither if one may rise out of the dead will they be persuaded.'
John 1:17
for the law through Moses was given, the grace and the truth through Jesus Christ did come;
John 5:45-47
Do not think that I will accuse you unto the Father; there is who is accusing you, Moses -- in whom ye have hoped;
John 15:22
if I had not come and spoken to them, they were not having sin; but now pretext they have not for their sin.
Romans 2:13
for not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law shall be declared righteous: --
Romans 3:1-2
What, then, is the superiority of the Jew? or what the profit of the circumcision?
Romans 3:19-20
And we have known that as many things as the law saith, to those in the law it doth speak, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may come under judgment to God;
Romans 5:20-21
And law came in, that the offence might abound, and where the sin did abound, the grace did overabound,
Galatians 3:21-25
the law, then, is against the promises of God? -- let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,
Galatians 4:1-4
And I say, so long time as the heir is a babe, he differeth nothing from a servant -- being lord of all,
1 Timothy 1:8-9
and we have known that the law is good, if any one may use it lawfully;
Hebrews 2:5
For not to messengers did He subject the coming world, concerning which we speak,