Galatians 3 · Verse 21

Galatians 3:21

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.
Galatians 3:21, King James Version

Galatians 3:21 in other translations

BSBIs 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.
WEBIs the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
ASVIs the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.
YLTthe law, then, is against the promises of God? --let it not be! for if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly by law there would have been the righteousness,
DARBYIs then the law against the promises of God? Far be the thought. For if a law had been given able to quicken, then indeed righteousness were on the principle of law;
BBEIs the law then against the words of God? in no way; because if there had been a law which was able to give life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
WebsterIs the law then against the promises of God? By no means: for if there had been a law given which could give life, verily righteousness would have been by the law.

What does Galatians 3:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. "Is the law (which involves a mediator) against the promises of God (which are without a mediator, and rest on God alone and immediately)? God forbid." life--The law, as an externally prescribed rule, can never internally impart spiritual life to men naturally dead in sin, and change the disposition. If the law had been a law capable of giving life, "verily (in very reality, and not in the mere fancy of legalists) righteousness would have been by the law (for where life is, there righteousness, its condition, must also be)." But the law does not pretend to give life, and therefore not righteousness; so there is no opposition between the law and the promise. Righteousness can only come through the promise to Abraham, and through its fulfilment in the Gospel of grace.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? Is the law of Moses to be regarded as opposed to the promises made to Abraham? Does this follow from any view which can be taken of the subject? The object of the apostle in asking this question is, evidently, to take an opportunity to deny, in the most positive manner, that there can be any such clashing or contradiction. He shows, therefore, what was the design of the law, and declares that the object was to further the plan contemplated in the promise made to Abraham. It was an auxiliary to that. It was as good as a law could be; and it was designed to prepare the way for the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham.

God forbid. It cannot be. It is impossible. I do not hold such an opinion. Such a sentiment by no means follows from what has been advanced. Comp. Rom 3:4.

For if there had been a law given which could have given life. The law of Moses is as good as a law can be. It is pure, and holy, and good. It is not the design to insinuate anything against the law in itself, or to say that as a law it is defective. But law could not give life. It is not its nature; and man cannot be justified by obedience to it. No man ever has yielded perfect compliance with it, and no man, therefore, can be justified by it. Gal 2:16, Gal 3:10.

Verily righteousness should have been by the law. Or justification would have been secured by the law. The law of Moses was as well adapted to this as a law could be. No better law could have been originated for this purpose; and if men were to attempt to justify themselves before God by their own works, the law of Moses would be as favourable for such an undertaking as any law which could be revealed. It is as reasonable, and equal, and pure. Its demands are as just, and its terms as favourable, as could be any of the terms of mere law. And such a law has been given, in part, in order to show that. justification by the law is out of the question. If men could not be justified by a law so pure, and equal, and just, so reasonable in all its requirements, and so perfect, how could they expect to be justified by conformity to any inferior or less perfect rule of life? The fact, therefore, that no one can be justified by the pure law revealed on Mount Sinai, for ever settles the question about the possibility of being justified by law.

(a) "against the promises" Mt 5:17 (b) "if there had been" Gal 2:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? - Is it possible that the intervention of the law, in reference to one part of the Abrahamic seed, should annul the promise made to the other? It is impossible. For if there had been a law, etc. - If any law or rule of life could have been found out that would have given life - saved sinners from death, and made them truly happy, then righteousness- justification, should have been by that law.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 3:19-22

If that promise was enough for salvation, wherefore then serveth the law? The Israelites, though chosen to be God's peculiar people, were sinners as well as others. The law was not intended to discover a way of justification, different from that made known by the promise, but to lead men to see their need of the promise, by showing the sinfulness of sin, and to point to Christ, through whom alone they could be…

Read the full comment on Galatians 3:19-22 →

Galatians 3:21 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHoTheG3588
οὖνounthereforeG3767
νόμοςnomosLawG3551
κατὰkata[is] contrary toG2596
τῶνtōntheG3588
ἐπαγγελιῶνepangeliōnpromisesG1860
τοῦtou<the>G3588
θεοῦ;theouof God?G2316
μὴmēNeverG3361
γένοιτο.genoitowould it be!G1096
εἰeiIfG1487
γὰρgarforG1063
ἐδόθηedothēwas givenG1325
νόμοςnomosa lawG3551
ὁhowhichG3588
δυνάμενοςdunamenosis being ableG1410
ζῳοποιῆσαι,zōopoiēsaito impart life,G2227
ὄντωςontōsindeedG3689
ἐκekfromG1537
νόμουnomou[the] lawG3551
ἂνanthen wouldG302
ἦνēnwas emergingG1510
ἡhē<the>G3588
δικαιοσύνη·dikaiosunērighteousness;G1343

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 3:21

  • 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 9:31

    But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

  • Romans 3:20-22

    Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

  • Galatians 2:19

    For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

  • Romans 10:3-6

    For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

  • Romans 7:7-13

    What 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. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. …

  • Galatians 2:17

    But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

  • Romans 3:31

    Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

  • Romans 3:4

    God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

  • Matthew 5:17-20

    Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

  • Philippians 3:6-9

    Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

  • Romans 3:6

    God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the law.
Mt 5:17-20; Ro 3:31; 7:7-13
God forbid.
2:17; Ro 3:4,6
for.
2:19,21; Ro 3:20
righteousness.
Ro 3:21,22; 9:31; 10:3-6; Php 3:6-9; Heb 11:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 3:20

    Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

  • Galatians 3:21

    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.

  • Galatians 3:22

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

Read all of Galatians 3

Galatians 3:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		¿Luego la ley es contra las promesas de Dios? En ninguna manera: porque si la ley dada pudiera vivificar, la justicia fuera verdaderamente por la ley.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		La loi est-elle donc contre les promesses de Dieu? Qu’ainsi n’advienne! Car s’il avait été donné une loi qui ait le pouvoir de faire vivre, la justice serait en réalité sur le principe de la loi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ist denn das Gesetz wider die Verheißungen Gottes? Das sei ferne! Denn wenn ein Gesetz gegeben worden wäre, das lebendig zu machen vermöchte, dann wäre wirklich die Gerechtigkeit aus Gesetz.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Lex ergo adversus promissa Dei? Absit. Si enim data esset lex, quæ posset vivificare, vere ex lege esset justitia.