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VERSE STUDY • KJV

Galatians 3:19

KJVBSBWEBASVYLT
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.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV 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.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.

WEB 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.

ASV 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.

YLT Young’s 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—

Surrounding context — Galatians 3

16 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.

17 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.

18 For if the inheritance [be] of the law, [it is] no more of promise: but God gave [it] to Abraham by promise.

19 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.

20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one, but God is one.

21 [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.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

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Cross-references

Acts 7:53Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept [it].Hebrews 2:2For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;Romans 7:7-13What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.Galatians 3:16Now 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.1 Timothy 1:8-9But we know that the law [is] good, if a man use it lawfully;Romans 5:20-21Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:Romans 4:15Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, [there is] no transgression.Romans 3:19-20Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Acts 7:38This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and [with] our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:John 15:22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.Romans 2:13(For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.Deuteronomy 5:5(I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying,Romans 3:1-2What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision?Deuteronomy 33:2And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand [went] a fiery law for them.Deuteronomy 9:13-20Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it [is] a stiffnecked people:John 1:17For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.Deuteronomy 5:22-33These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.Galatians 4:1-4Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;