GAL 3:19 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Why, then, the law? It was added because of transgressions, having been put into effect through angels by the hand of a mediator until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

UST So, if someone should ask, “Why did God later give his laws to Moses?” I would reply that it was in order that people might realize how sinful they were. Those laws were valid until Jesus came. He was the descendant that God was referring to when he made the promises to Abraham. God gave his laws to Moses by God’s causing angels to speak to him. Moses was the mediator, the one who told the laws to the people.

BSB § 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.

BLB Why then the Law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the seed to whom promise has been made should have come, having been ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator.

AICNT Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

OEB What, then, you ask, was the use of the Law? It was a later addition, to make people conscious of their wrongdoings, and intended to last only until the coming of that offspring to whom the promise had been made; and it was delivered through angels by a mediator.

WEBBE Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the descendant to whom the promise had been made. It was administered through angels by an intermediary.

LSV Why, then, the Law? It was added on account of the transgressions, until the Seed might come to which the promise has been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator—

FBV What was the point of the law, then? It was added to show what wrongdoing really is, until the son came to whom the promise had been made. The law was put in place by angels through the hand of a mediator.

TCNT Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom the promise had been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

T4T So, if someone should ask, “Why did God later give his laws to Moses?” I would reply that it was in order that people might realize how sinful they were. Those laws were valid until Jesus came. He was the descendant that God was referring to when he made the promises to Abraham. The laws were given {God gave his laws} to Moses by God’s causing angels to speak to him. Moses was the mediator, the one who told the laws to the people.

LEB Why then the law? It was added on account of transgressions, until the descendant should come to whom it had been promised, having been ordered through angels by the hand of a mediator.

BBE What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between.

Moff No Moff GAL book available

Wymth Why then was the Law given? It was imposed later on for the sake of defining sin, until the seed should come to whom God had made the promise; and its details were laid down by a mediator with the help of angels.

ASV What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

DRA Why then was the law? It was set because of transgressions, until the seed should come, to whom he made the promise, being ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

YLT Why, then, the law? on account of the transgressions it was added, till the seed might come to which the promise hath been made, having been set in order through messengers in the hand of a mediator —

Drby Why then the law? It was added for the sake of transgressions, until the seed came to whom the promise was made, ordained through angels in [the] hand of a mediator.

RV What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

Wbstr What purpose then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

KJB-1769 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

KJB-1611 Wherefore then serueth the Law? it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come, to whome the promise was made, and it was ordeyned by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour.
(Wherefore then serueth the Law? it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come, to whom the promise was made, and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour.)

Bshps Wherfore then serueth the lawe? It was added because of transgressions, tyl the seede came to whom the promise was made: and it was ordayned by Angels in the hande of a mediatour.
(Wherefore then serueth the lawe? It was added because of transgressions, tyl the seed came to whom the promise was made: and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediatour.)

Gnva Wherefore then serueth the Law? It was added because of the transgressions, til the seed came, vnto the which the promise was made: and it was ordeined by Angels in the hande of a Mediatour.
(Wherefore then serueth the Law? It was added because of the transgressions, till the seed came, unto the which the promise was made: and it was ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediatour. )

Cvdl Wherfore the serueth the lawe? It was added because of trangression, tyll the sede came, to the which the promes was made. And it was geuen of angels, by the hande of the mediatoure.
(Wherefore the serueth the lawe? It was added because of trangression, till the seed came, to the which the promes was made. And it was given of angels, by the hand of the mediatoure.)

TNT Wherfore then serveth the lawe? The lawe was added because of transgression (tyll the seed cam to which the promes was made) and it was ordeyned by angels in the honde of a mediator.
(Wherefore then serveth the lawe? The law was added because of transgression (tyll the seed came to which the promes was made) and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. )

Wyc What thanne the lawe? It was sett for trespassing, to the seed come, to whom he hadde maad his biheest. Whiche lawe was ordeyned bi aungels, in the hoond of a mediatour. But a mediatour is not of oon. But God is oon.
(What then the lawe? It was sett for trespassing, to the seed come, to whom he had made his biheest. Which law was ordained by angels, in the hand of a mediatour. But a mediatour is not of one. But God is one.)

Luth Was soll denn das Gesetz? Es ist dazukommen um der Sünde willen, bis der Same käme, dem die Verheißung geschehen ist, und ist gestellet von den Engeln durch die Hand des Mittlers.
(What should because the law? It is dazukommen around/by/for the/of_the Sünde willen, until the/of_the Same käme, to_him the Verheißung geschehen is, and is gestellet from the angeln through the hand the Mittlers.)

ClVg Quid igitur lex? Propter transgressiones posita est donec veniret semen, cui promiserat, ordinata per angelos in manu mediatoris.[fn]
(Quid igitur lex? Because transgressiones posita it_is until would_come semen, cui promiserat, ordinata through angelos in by_hand mediatoris. )

3.19 Propter transgressiones. Posita est in medio, inter promissionem et semen: cui facta est promissio, id est, inter Abraham et Christum, ut populum Dei erudiret sub timore Dei: ut dignus fieret excipere promissionem quæ est Christus. Ordinata per angelos. Lex dico ordinata per angelos, id est Moysen, et alios ministros Dei, vel ministerio angelorum hominibus data, in quibus angelis erat utique Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus. Aliquando sine ulla distinctione personæ, Deus per illos figurabatur. Et nota quod non ait data, sed, ordinata: quasi ordinabiliter data inter tempus naturalis legis (de qua convicti sunt quod juvare non potuit) et tempus gratiæ antequam de lege convincendi erant: qui ergo nunc eam reducit, contra ordinem angelorum facit. In manu. Id est, in potestate Christi, ut staret lex dum vellet, cessaret cum vellet. Ergo contra eum facitis qui eam destruxit. Mediator est inter duo extrema, et ob hoc videretur vel quod Christus non esset Deus, vel quod duo dii essent. Ad quod respondet, etsi mediator non est unius sed duarum extremitatum, tamen est Deus unus cum Deo Patre per divinam naturam, cui mediat per humanam.

3.19 Because transgressiones. Posita it_is in medio, between promissionem and semen: cui facts it_is promissio, id it_is, between Abraham and Christum, as the_people of_God erudiret under timore of_God: as dignus fieret excipere promissionem which it_is Christus. Ordinata through angelos. Lex dico ordinata through angelos, id it_is Moysen, and alios ministros of_God, or ministerio angelorum hominibus data, in to_whom angelis was utique Pater and Son and Spiritus sanctus. Aliquando without ulla distinctione personæ, God through those figurabatur. And nota that not/no he_said data, sed, ordinata: as_if ordinabiliter data between tempus naturalis legis (de which convicti are that yuvare not/no potuit) and tempus gratiæ before about lege convincendi erant: who therefore now her reducit, on_the_contrary ordinem angelorum facit. In manu. That it_is, in potestate of_Christ, as to_standt lex dum vellet, cessaret when/with vellet. Ergo on_the_contrary him facitis who her destruxit. Mediator it_is between two extrema, and ob this videretur or that Christus not/no was God, or that two dii essent. Ad that respondet, etsi mediator not/no it_is of_one but duarum extremitatum, tamen it_is God unus when/with Deo Patre through divinam naturam, cui mediat through humanam.

UGNT τί οὖν ὁ νόμος? τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη, ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, διαταγεὶς δι’ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου.
(ti oun ho nomos? tōn parabaseōn ⱪarin prosetethaʸ, aⱪris hou elthaʸ to sperma hō epaʸngeltai, diatageis di’ angelōn en ⱪeiri mesitou.)

SBL-GNT Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος; τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη, ἄχρις ⸀οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, διαταγεὶς διʼ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου·
(Ti oun ho nomos; tōn parabaseōn ⱪarin prosetethaʸ, aⱪris ⸀hou elthaʸ to sperma hō epaʸngeltai, diatageis diʼ angelōn en ⱪeiri mesitou;)

TC-GNT Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος; Τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη, ἄχρις [fn]οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, διαταγεὶς δι᾽ ἀγγέλων ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου.
(Ti oun ho nomos; Tōn parabaseōn ⱪarin prosetethaʸ, aⱪris hou elthaʸ to sperma hō epaʸngeltai, diatageis di angelōn en ⱪeiri mesitou. )

3:19 ου ¦ αν WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ (from our SR-GNT base).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί οὖν ὁ νόμος

why therefore the law

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to anticipate a question that the Galatian believers might have regarding the purpose of the law and to introduce his answer to this anticipated question. If it would help your readers, you could translate his words as a statement. Alternate translation: “I will tell you what the purpose of the law is” or “Let me tell you why God added the law to the covenant”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ὁ νόμος

the law

Paul is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If your readers might misunderstand this, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: “was the law given” or “did God give the law” or “was the law added”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

προσετέθη

˱it˲_/was/_added

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. Alternate translation: “God added it” or “God added the law”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-logic-goal

τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν προσετέθη

the transgressions for_reason_of ˱it˲_/was/_added

The phrase because of transgressions could refer to: (1) the purpose for which the law was added to the covenant with Abraham, namely to show what transgression is. Alternate translation: “It was added to show what transgression is” (2) what caused God to decide that the law should be added to the covenant with Abraham, which was that people were committing transgressions. The phrase because of transgressions would then be stating the cause for the law being added, namely because people were sinning. Alternate translation: “It was added because people were committing transgressions”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τῶν παραβάσεων

the transgressions

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of transgressions, you could express the same idea with an adjective such as “sinful”, or you could express the meaning in some other way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “people’s sinful behavior”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

διαταγεὶς δι’ ἀγγέλων

/having_been/_directed through angels

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: “and God used angels to put it into effect” or “and God gave the law through angels”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

διαταγεὶς δι’ ἀγγέλων

/having_been/_directed through angels

Translate the phrase through angels in a way that indicates that God, not angels, was the source of the law. The Bible records in Deuteronomy 33:2, Hebrews 2:2, and Acts 7:38, and 53 that God used angels to give Moses his law. This is what Jewish people believed regarding how God delivered his law to Moses. Alternate translation: “and God used angels to put it into effect” or “God gave the law through angels”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἄχρις οὗ ἔλθῃ τὸ σπέρμα

until ˱of˲_which /may/_come the seed

When Paul says that the law was administered by the hand of a mediator until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made, Paul is implicitly telling the Galatian believers that the law was temporary and was only needed until Christ, whom he calls the seed, came. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “until the seed, who is Christ, would come”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἐν χειρὶ μεσίτου

in /the/_hand ˱of˲_/a/_mediator

The phrase by the hand of is an idiom which means “through.” If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent idiom or use plain language. Alternate translation: “through a mediator”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μεσίτου

˱of˲_/a/_mediator

Moses is the mediatorto whom Paul is referring. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly. Alternate translation: “of Moses, who acted as a mediator”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐπήγγελται

˱he˲_/has_been/_promised

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. Alternate translation: “God had made the promise”

Parallel GAL 3:19