Galatians 3:23
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.
22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.
Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.
- KJV
- But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
- WEB
- But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
- ASV
- But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
- DARBY
- But before faith came, we were guarded under law, shut up to faith [which was] about to be revealed.
- BLB
- Now before the faith came, we were being held in custody under the law, having been shut in until the faith being about to be revealed,
- ÅB
- Men før troen kom, ble vi holdt innestengt i varetekt under loven til den tro som skulle åpenbares.
- OTB
- Før troen kom, ble vi holdt i varetekt under loven, innesluttet til den tro som skulle åpenbares.
- B1930
- Men før troen kom, blev vi holdt innestengt i varetekt under loven til den tro som skulde åpenbares.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Galatians 5:18
But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Read in contextGalatians 3:24–25
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Read in contextRomans 6:14–15
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Read in contextRomans 11:32
For God has consigned everyone to disobedience so that He may have mercy on everyone.
Read in contextGalatians 3:19
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.
Read in contextRomans 3:19
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Read in contextGalatians 4:1–5
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything.
Read in context1 Peter 1:11–12
trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
Read in context