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Galatians 3:21

Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.

KJV

Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

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Commentary

3 voices

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

24 tagged words
OriginalTransliterationMeaningWord study
ὉHoTheG3588 →
οὖνounthereforeG3767 →
νόμοςnomosLawG3551 →
κατὰkata[is] contrary toG2596 →
τῶνtōntheG3588 →
ἐπαγγελιῶνepangeliōnpromisesG1860 →
τοῦtou<the>G3588 →
θεοῦ;theouof God?G2316 →
μὴmēNeverG3361 →
γένοιτο.genoitowould it be!G1096 →
εἰeiIfG1487 →
γὰρgarforG1063 →
ἐδόθηedothēwas givenG1325 →
νόμοςnomosa lawG3551 →
ὁhowhichG3588 →
δυνάμενοςdunamenosis being ableG1410 →
ζῳοποιῆσαι,zōopoiēsaito impart life,G2227 →
ὄντωςontōsindeedG3689 →
ἐκekfromG1537 →
νόμουnomou[the] lawG3551 →
ἂνanthen wouldG302 →
ἦνēnwas emergingG1510 →
ἡhē<the>G3588 →
δικαιοσύνη·dikaiosunērighteousness;G1343 →

The walk

Related verses

18 strongest cross-references

The gold bar shows how strongly the cross-reference sources tie the two verses together: a long bar means many compiled references make the connection, a short one means few.

Galatians 2:21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.Romans 9:31but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.Romans 3:20–22Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.Romans 8:3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,Hebrews 8:7For if that first covenant had been without fault, no place would have been sought for a second.Galatians 2:19For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God.Romans 7:13Did that which is good, then, become death to me? Certainly not! But in order that sin might be exposed as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.Romans 10:3–6Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.2 Corinthians 3:6And He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.Romans 3:31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.Galatians 2:17But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not!Romans 7:7–13What then shall we say? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed, I would not have been mindful of sin if not for the law. For I would not have been aware of coveting if the law had not said, “Do not covet.”1 Timothy 1:8Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately.Hebrews 12:14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.Matthew 5:17–20Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them.Romans 3:4Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.”Philippians 3:6–9as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.Romans 3:6Certainly not! In that case, how could God judge the world?

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Moses with the Ten Commandments — Rembrandt van Rijn

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Six covenants in succession, cumulative rather than replacing. Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, New. Each narrowing the line of promise while widening the scope of fulfillment.

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The Law as Tutor, MannaFest

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Christ's own chosen picture of his death. A four-moment story across 1,400 years: sin and plague, command and cure, idolatry and smashing, crucifixion and fulfillment.

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Charity — William-Adolphe Bouguereau

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Galatians 5:22–23 names a singular fruit (karpos, not fruits) with nine visible facets. Gifts are distributed; fruit is unified. Every believer bears the whole fruit. The grammar is the theology.

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About Galatians

The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
The Crucifixion — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)
Galatians: the study guide →Read chapter 3 →The featured study →
Continue: Galatians 3 →