^3:15Brothers and sisters,²⁹ I offer an example from everyday life:³⁰ When a covenant³¹ has been ratified,³² even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. ^3:16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant.³³ Scripture³⁴ does not say, “and to the descendants,”³⁵ referring to many, but “and to your descendant,”³⁶ referring to one, who is Christ. ^3:17What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God,³⁷ so as to invalidate the promise. ^3:18For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave³⁸ it to Abraham through the promise.

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Footnotes

29 Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in .
30 Grk “I speak according to man,” referring to the illustration that follows.
31 The same Greek word, διαθήκη (diathēkē), can mean either “covenant” or “will,” but in this context the former is preferred here because Paul is discussing in vv. 16–18 the Abrahamic covenant.
32 Or “has been put into effect.”
33 Grk “his seed,” a figurative extension of the meaning of σπέρμα (sperma) to refer to descendants (L&N 10.29).
34 Grk “It”; the referent (the scripture) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The understood subject of the verb λέγει (legei) could also be “He” (referring to God) as the one who spoke the promise to Abraham.
35 Grk “to seeds.” See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse. Here the term is plural; the use of the singular in the OT text cited later in this verse is crucial to Paul’s argument.
36 See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse. A quotation from Gen 12:7; 13:15; 17:7; 24:7.
37 Most (D F G I 0176 0278 𝔐 it sy) read “ratified by God in Christ” whereas the omission of “in Christ” is the reading in 𝔓46 א A B C P Ψ 6 33 81 1175 1739 1881 2464 co. The shorter reading is strongly supported by the evidence, and it is probable that a copyist inserted the words as an interpretive gloss. However, this form of the “in Christ” expression is somewhat atypical in the corpus Paulinum (εἰς Χριστόν [eis Christon] rather than ἐν Χριστῷ [en Christō]), a fact which tempers one’s certainty about the shorter reading. Nevertheless, the expression is used more in Galatians than in any other of Paul’s letters (Gal 2:16; 3:24, 27), and may have been suggested by such texts to early copyists.
38 On the translation “graciously gave” for χαρίζομαι (charizomai) see L&N 57.102.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ. My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God and thus cancel the promise. For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise.

NLTNew Living Translation

Dear brothers and sisters, here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Brothers, I am speaking according to a human perspective. Nevertheless, when the covenant of a man has been ratified, no one declares it invalid or adds additional provisions to it. Now to Abraham and to his descendant the promises were spoken. It does not say, “and to descendants,” as concerning many, but as concerning one, “and to your descendant,” who is Christ. Now I am saying this: the law, that came after four hundred and thirty years, does not revoke a covenant previously ratified by God, in order to nullify the promise. For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise.

KJV 1900King James Version

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 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. 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. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

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