Galatians 3:16
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15 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.
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.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
- KJV
- 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.
- WEB
- Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.
- ASV
- Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
- DARBY
- But to Abraham were the promises addressed, and to his seed: he does not say, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed; which is Christ.
- BLB
- Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say “and to seeds,” as of many, but as of One, “and to your seed,” who is Christ.
- ÅB
- Nå ble løftene gitt Abraham og hans slekt; han sier ikke: Og dine slektninger, som om mange, men som om én: Og din slekt, og dette er Kristus.
- OTB
- Løftene ble gitt til Abraham og til hans ætt. Det står ikke «og til ættene,» som om det gjaldt mange, men som om det gjaldt én: «og til din ætt,» som er Kristus.
- B1930
- Nu blev løftene gitt Abraham og hans ætt; han sier ikke: Og dine ætlinger, som om mange, men som om én: Og din ætt, og dette er Kristus.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 17:7–8
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Read in contextRomans 4:13
For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Read in contextLuke 1:55
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Read in contextGenesis 22:17–18
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Read in contextGalatians 3:27–29
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Read in contextRomans 4:16
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Read in contextGenesis 12:7
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Read in contextGenesis 28:13–14
And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
Read in context