OET interlinear GAL 3:21

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ὁ & νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν

the & law_‹is› against the promises

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to anticipate a question that the Galatian believers might have. He introduces his answer to the question which begins with the phrase For if a law was given being able to make alive. If it would help your readers, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: “you might think that the law is against the promises” or “you might think that the law is opposed to the promises”

κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν

against the promises

Alternate translation: “opposed to the promises” or “in conflict with the promises”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν

the promises

The phrase the promises refers to the promises that God made to Abraham. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “the promises that God made to Abraham” or “God’s promises to Abraham”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclamations

μὴ γένοιτο

never ˱it˲_/might/_become

May it never be is an emphatic way of negating a statement. The statement that the phrase May it never be is negating is the proposed question is the law against the promises. Use a natural word or expression for strongly negating an idea. Alternate translation: “Certainly not”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

εἰ & ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι, ὄντως

if & /was/_given /a/_law ¬which being_able /to/_give_life really

Paul is using a hypothetical situation to teach the Galatian believers. Alternate translation: “if it was possible that a law was given that was able to make people alive, then truly”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐδόθη νόμος

/was/_given /a/_law

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you must state who did the action, Paul implies that God did it. Alternate translation: “God gave a law”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ζῳοποιῆσαι

/to/_give_life

Here, it is implied that Paul is referring to making people alive. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “to make people alive”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / extrainfo

ζῳοποιῆσαι

/to/_give_life

The phrase to make alive could refer to: (1) both eternal life in the future and to making people spiritually alive in the present. Paul is probably referring to both here since in this letter Paul discusses the important role of the Holy Spirit and the fact that the Holy Spirit is given through faith and not the law. (2) eternal life in the future after a person dies. If it is possible in your language, it would be best to retain a general phrase, as modeled by the ULT, since Paul does not explain the phrase to make alive.

ἐν νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ οὖν νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ γένοιτο εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι ὄντως ἐκ νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη)

Alternate translation: “we could have become righteous by obeying that law”