Galatians 3:18
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

Berean Standard Bible
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

Berean Literal Bible
For if the inheritance is by the Law, it is no longer by a promise. But God has granted it to Abraham through a promise.

King James Bible
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

New King James Version
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

New American Standard Bible
For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

NASB 1995
For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

NASB 1977
For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

Legacy Standard Bible
For if the inheritance is by law, it is no longer by promise, but God has granted it to Abraham through promise.

Amplified Bible
For if the inheritance [of what was promised] is based on [observing] the Law [as these false teachers claim], it is no longer based on a promise; however, God granted it to Abraham [as a gift] by virtue of His promise.

Christian Standard Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

American Standard Version
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But if the inheritance is by The Written Law, it would therefore not be from The Promise to Abraham, but God gave it to him by The Promise.

Contemporary English Version
If we have to obey the Law in order to receive God's blessings, those blessings don't really come to us because of God's promise. But God was kind to Abraham and made him a promise.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise.

English Revised Version
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
If we have to gain the inheritance by following those laws, then it no longer comes to us because of the promise. However, God freely gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.

Good News Translation
For if God's gift depends on the Law, then it no longer depends on his promise. However, it was because of his promise that God gave that gift to Abraham.

International Standard Version
For if the inheritance comes about through the Law, it no longer comes about through the promise. But it was through a promise that God so graciously gave it to Abraham.

Literal Standard Version
for if the inheritance [is] by law, [it is] no longer by promise, but God granted [it] to Abraham through promise.

Majority Standard Bible
For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

New American Bible
For if the inheritance comes from the law, it is no longer from a promise; but God bestowed it on Abraham through a promise.

NET Bible
For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave it to Abraham through the promise.

New Revised Standard Version
For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

New Heart English Bible
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.

Webster's Bible Translation
For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no more by promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Weymouth New Testament
For if the inheritance comes through obedience to Law, it no longer comes because of a promise. But, as a matter of fact, God has granted it to Abraham in fulfilment of a promise.

World English Bible
For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.

Young's Literal Translation
for if by law be the inheritance, it is no more by promise, but to Abraham through promise did God grant it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Purpose of the Law
17What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise. 19Why 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.…

Cross References
Romans 4:14
For if those who live by the law are heirs, faith is useless and the promise is worthless,

Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise.

Hebrews 6:13
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

Hebrews 6:14
saying, "I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants."


Treasury of Scripture

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

if.

Galatians 3:10,12,26,29
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them…

Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Romans 4:13-16
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…

but.

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.

Psalm 105:6-12,42
O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen…

Micah 7:18-20
Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy…

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Abraham Based Dependent Depends Fact Fulfilment Grace Grant Granted Heritage Inheritance Law Matter Means Obedience Principle Promise Word
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Abraham Based Dependent Depends Fact Fulfilment Grace Grant Granted Heritage Inheritance Law Matter Means Obedience Principle Promise Word
Galatians 3
1. He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law.
6. Those who believe are justified,
9. and blessed with Abraham.
10. And this he shows by many reasons.
15. The purpose of the Law
26. You are sons of God














(18) The fulfilment of the promise is unaffected by the Law. For it is not dependent upon the Law, or upon the Law and the promise combined (the Law modifying the promise), but upon the promise alone. The Law does not come in at all. Law and promise--in other words, contract and free gift--are incompatible ideas. But the land of Canaan was promised to Abraham as a free gift, and as a free gift the spiritual Canaan is thrown open to his spiritual descendants.

The inheritance.--In the first instance, the temporal inheritance of the land of Canaan; but here understood of the spiritual blessings of the Messianic kingdom.

Gave it.--In the original a strong word: God hath freely given it. There is an antithesis to the idea of "covenant" or "contract," in which both parties have to perform a part. The promise was given by God to Abraham freely, gratuitously, unfettered by any engagement on his side by the non-fulfilment of which it might be made void.

Verse 18. - For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promise (εἰ γὰρ ἐκ νόμου ἡ κληρονομία [or, οὐκ ἔτι] ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας); for if from a Law the inheritance accrues, it accrues no longer from a promise. The two nouns "Law" and "promise" have no article, being regarded here in their several characteristic principles, which were not only diverse, but contrary. The Law says, "The man that doeth these things shall live by them;" and this while enforcing a great variety of minute positive principles by severe threats and penalties. The promise bestows of free grace without works. The promised bestowment is here styled "inheritance," because received by Abraham's seed as his heirs (see ver. 29 and Galatians 4:1). In the Old Testament it is a favourite designation of the land of Canaan; as e.g. in Psalm 105:11. Here it relates to a spiritual possession. Οὐκέτι seems preferred by editors of the text, when used logically, as if it were, It no longer appears to be (so Romans 7:17; Romans 11:6); whereas οὐκ ἔτι might be referred to a change which took place at the time when the Law was given. But God gave it to Abraham by promise (τῷ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ δι ἐπαγγελίας κεχάρισται ὁ Θεός); but God hath freely given it to Abraham by promise. The verb χαρίζομαι emphatically marks a gilt as freely and lavishly bestowed (compare its use in Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:12). The perfect tense points to the now and evermore enduring effect of the promise. The position of ὁ Θεὸς is emphatic - God, no less than he! (comp. Romans 8:31). The march of this sentence, with which the apostle closes up this paragraph of the discussion, gives, as it stands in the Greek, the reader to feel the apostle's soul dilating with wonder cud delight as he gives expression to the two notions - the gracious freeness of the gift, and the Divine personality of the Giver. The mention here of Abraham alone, without "his seed," is perhaps due to the apostle's sense of the long priority of this guaranteed bestowment to the giving of the Law. In appreciating the tone of the passage, we must not lose sight of the venerableness of this personage, the primordial father, not only of the Hebrew race, but of all believers in Christ to the end of the world.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

if
εἰ (ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

the
(hē)
Article - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

inheritance
κληρονομία (klēronomia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2817: From kleronomos; heirship, i.e. a patrimony or a possession.

depends on
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

[the] Law,
νόμου (nomou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3551: From a primary nemo; law, genitive case, specially, (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively.

[then it] no longer
οὐκέτι (ouketi)
Adverb
Strong's 3765: No longer, no more. Also ouk eti from ou and eti; not yet, no longer.

depends on
ἐξ (ex)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

a promise;
ἐπαγγελίας (epangelias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1860: A promise. From epaggello; an announcement.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

God
Θεός (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

freely granted [it]
κεχάρισται (kecharistai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5483: (a) To show favor to, (b) To pardon, forgive, (c) To show kindness.

to Abraham
Ἀβραὰμ (Abraam)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 11: Abraham, progenitor of the Hebrew race. Of Hebrew origin; Abraham, the Hebrew patriarch.

through
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

a promise.
ἐπαγγελίας (epangelias)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1860: A promise. From epaggello; an announcement.


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NT Letters: Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance (Gal. Ga)
Galatians 3:17
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