Parallel Verses
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.
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.
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.
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 --
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 the inheritance come of the law, it cometh not of promise: but God gave it unto Abraham by promise. 19 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. 20 A mediator is not a mediator of one. But God is one.
Phrases
Cross References
Acts 7:53
And ye also have received a law by the ordinance of angels, and have not kept it."
Galatians 3:16
To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, "in the seeds," as in many: But, "in thy seed," as in one, which is Christ.
Deuteronomy 5:5
And I stood between the LORD and you the same time, to show you the saying of the LORD. For ye were afraid of the fire and therefore went not up into the mount. And he said,
Romans 7:7-13
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid: but I knew not what sin meant but by the law. For I had not known what lust had meant, except the law had said, "Thou shalt not lust."
Hebrews 2:2
For if the word which was spoken by angels was steadfast - so that every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense to reward -
Acts 7:38
This is he that was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. This man received the word of life to give unto us,
Romans 4:15
Because the law causeth wrath. For where no law is, there is no transgression.
Exodus 20:19-22
And when the people saw it, they removed and stood afar off and said unto Moses, "Talk thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God talk with us, lest we die."
Exodus 24:1-12
And he said unto Moses, "Come unto the LORD: both thou and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel, and worship afar off."
Exodus 34:27-35
And the LORD said unto Moses, "Write these words, for upon these words I have made a covenant with thee and with the children of Israel."
Leviticus 15:32
This is the law of him that hath a running sore, and of him whose seed runneth from him in his sleep and is defiled therewith,
Deuteronomy 4:8-9
Yea, and what nation is so great that hath ordinances and laws so righteous, as all this law which I set before you this day?
Deuteronomy 5:22-33
These words the LORD spake unto all your multitude in the mount out of the fire, cloud and darkness, with a loud voice, and added no more thereto, and wrote them in two tables of stone and delivered them unto me.
Deuteronomy 9:13-20
Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, 'I see this people how that it is a stiff-necked people;
Deuteronomy 9:25-29
And I fell before the LORD, forty days and forty nights which I lay there, for the LORD was minded to have destroyed you.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The LORD thy God will stir up a Prophet among you: even of thy brethren, like unto me, and unto him ye shall hearken
Deuteronomy 33:2
saying, "The LORD came from Sinai, and showed his beams from Seir unto them; and appeared gloriously from mount Paran, and he came with thousands of saints, and in his righthand a law of fire for them.
Psalm 106:23
So he said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in that gap; to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.
Psalm 147:19-20
He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel.
Luke 16:31
He said unto him, 'If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, though one rose from death again.'"
John 1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
John 5:45-47
Do not think that I will accuse you to my father. There is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust.
John 15:22
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they should not have had sin: but now have they nothing to cloak their sin withal.
Romans 2:13
For before God they are not righteous which hear the law: but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Romans 3:1-2
What preferment, then, hath the Jew? Other, what advantageth circumcision?
Romans 3:19-20
Yea and we know that whatsoever the law saith, he saith it to them which are under the law: That all mouths may be stopped, and all the world be subdued to God,
Romans 5:20-21
But the law, in the meantime, entered in that sin should increase. Neverthelater, where abundance of sin was, there was more plenteousness of grace.
Galatians 3:21-25
Is the law, then, against the promise of God? God forbid. Howbeit, if there had been a law given which could have given life: then no doubt righteousness should have come by the law.
Galatians 4:1-4
And I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth not from a servant; though he be lord of all,
1 Timothy 1:8-9
We know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
Hebrews 2:5
He hath not unto the angels put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak: