GAL 3:21 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, pink:genitive/possessor.
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 Therefore is the law against the promises? May it never be! For if a law was given being able to make alive, then truly righteousness would have come by the law.

UST If someone should ask, “When God gave his laws to Moses long after he told Abraham what he was promising to give to him, was he changing his mind?” I would reply that God certainly did not change his mind when he did that! If God had given a law that could enable people to live eternally and spiritually, then it certainly would be because of people obeying that law that God would consider people righteous.

BSB § 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.

BLB Is the Law therefore contrary to the promises of God? Never may it be! For if a law had been given being able to impart life, then righteousness indeed would have emerged from out of the Law.

AICNT Is the law then contrary to the promises [of God]?[fn] Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.

3:21, of God: NA28[] SBLGNT THGNT BYZ TR ‖ Absent from some manuscripts. P46 B(03)

OEB Does that set the Law in opposition to God’s promises? Heaven forbid! For, if a Law had been given capable of bestowing life, then righteousness would have actually owed its existence to Law.

WEBBE Is 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.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.

LSV [Is] the Law, then, against the promises of God? Let it not be! For if a law was given that was able to make alive, truly there would have been righteousness by law,

FBV So does the law work against God's promises? Of course not! For if there was a law that could give life, then we could be made right by keeping it.

TCNT Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, truly righteousness would have come through the law.

T4T If someone should ask, “When God gave his laws to Moses long after he told Abraham what he was promising to give to him, was he changing his mind?” I would reply that God certainly did not change his mind when he did that! If God had given a law that could enable people to live eternally, then it actually would be because of people obeying that law that God would erase the record of their sins.

LEB Therefore is the law opposed to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, certainly righteousness would have been from the law.

BBE Is 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.

Moff No Moff GAL book available

Wymth God, however, is only one. Is the Law then opposed to the promises of God? No, indeed; for if a Law had been given which could have conferred Life, righteousness would certainly have come by the Law.

ASV Is 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.

DRA Was the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could give life, verily justice should have been by the law.

YLT the 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,

Drby [Is] then the law against the promises of [fn]God? Far be the thought. For if a law had been given able to quicken, then indeed righteousness were on the principle of law;

3.21 Elohim

RV Is 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.

Wbstr Is 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.

KJB-1769 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.
(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/truly righteousness should have been by the law. )

KJB-1611 Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had beene a Lawe giuen which could haue giuen life, verily righteousnesse should haue bene by the Law.
(Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a Lawe given which could have given life, verily/truly righteousnesse should have been by the Law.)

Bshps Is the lawe then against the promise of God? God forbyd. For yf there had ben a lawe geuen which coulde haue geuen life: then no doubt righteousnesse shoulde haue ben by the lawe.
(Is the law then against the promise of God? God forbyd. For if there had been a law given which could have given life: then no doubt righteousnesse should have been by the law.)

Gnva Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: For if there had bene a Lawe giuen which coulde haue giuen life, surely righteousnes should haue bene by the Lawe.
(Is the Lawe then against the promises of God? God forbid: For if there had been a Lawe given which could have given life, surely righteousness should have been by the Law. )

Cvdl Is the lawe then agaynst the promyses of God? God forbyd. Howbeit yf there had bene geuen a lawe which coulde haue geue life, the no doute righteousnes shulde come of the lawe.
(Is the law then against the promyses of God? God forbyd. Howbeit if there had been given a law which could have give life, the no doute righteousness should come of the law.)

TNT Ys the lawe then agaynst the promes of God? God forbid. How be it yf ther had bene a lawe geve which coulde have geven lyfe: then no doute rightewesnes shuld have come by the lawe.
(Is the law then against the promes of God? God forbid. How be it if there had been a law give which could have given life: then no doute righteousness should have come by the law. )

Wycl Is thanne the lawe ayens the biheestis of God? God forbede. For if the lawe were youun, that myyte quikene, verili were riytfulnesse of lawe.
(Is then the law against the biheestis of God? God forbede. For if the law were given, that might quick/alivene, verili were riytfulnesse of law.)

Luth Wie? Ist denn das Gesetz wider Gottes Verheißungen? Das sei ferne! Wenn aber ein Gesetz gegeben wäre, das da könnte lebendig machen, so käme die Gerechtigkeit wahrhaftig aus dem Gesetze.
(Wie? Is because the law against God’s Verheißungen? The be ferne! When but a law given wäre, the there könnte lifedig machen, so käme the Gerechtigkeit wahrhaftig out_of to_him lawe.)

ClVg Lex ergo adversus promissa Dei? Absit. Si enim data esset lex, quæ posset vivificare, vere ex lege esset justitia.[fn]
(Lex therefore adversus promissa of_God? Absit. When/But_if because data was lex, which posset vivificare, vere from lege was justitia. )

3.21 Lex ergo, etc. Quandoquidem lex est propter transgressionem, ergo est ita contra promissa, ut per eam impleatur aliter quam promissum est: non quia ex lege non est vita, id est, æterna beatitudo: quia si inde esset vita, tunc et justitia: sed non est ex ea justitia, sed potius condemnat, et sub peccato concludit. Et hoc est quod dicitur: Sed concludit Scriptura. Judæos omnino clausit sub peccati dominio lex ipsa, et ostendit omnes homines clausos sub peccato, ut dicitur etiam ad Romanos: Conclusit Deus omnia in justitia, ut omnium misereatur. Notis peccatis per legem conclusi sunt, ut se excusare non possint, sed quærant misericordiam.

3.21 Lex therefore, etc. Quandoindeed lex it_is propter transgressionem, therefore it_is ita on_the_contrary promissa, as through her impleatur aliter how promissum it_is: not/no because from lege not/no it_is vita, id it_is, æterna beatitudo: because when/but_if inde was vita, tunc and justitia: but not/no it_is from ea justitia, but rather condemnat, and under peccato concludit. And this it_is that it_is_said: But concludit Scriptura. Yudæos omnino clausit under peccati dominio lex ipsa, and ostendit everyone homines clausos under peccato, as it_is_said also to Romanos: Conclusit God everything in justitia, as omnium misereatur. Notis sins through legem conclusi are, as se excusare not/no possint, but quærant misericordiam.

UGNT ὁ οὖν νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν? μὴ γένοιτο! εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι, ὄντως ἐν νόμου ἂν ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη;
(ho oun nomos kata tōn epangeliōn? maʸ genoito! ei gar edothaʸ nomos ho dunamenos zōiopoiaʸsai, ontōs en nomou an aʸn haʸ dikaiosunaʸ;)

SBL-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.
(Ho oun nomos kata tōn epangeliōn tou theou; maʸ genoito; ei gar edothaʸ nomos ho dunamenos zōiopoiaʸsai, ontōs ⸂ek nomou an⸃ aʸn haʸ dikaiosunaʸ.)

TC-GNT Ὁ οὖν νόμος κατὰ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἐδόθη νόμος ὁ δυνάμενος ζῳοποιῆσαι, ὄντως [fn]ἂν ἐκ νόμου ἦν ἡ δικαιοσύνη.
(Ho oun nomos kata tōn epangeliōn tou Theou; Maʸ genoito. Ei gar edothaʸ nomos ho dunamenos zōiopoiaʸsai, ontōs an ek nomou aʸn haʸ dikaiosunaʸ. )

3:21 αν εκ νομου 84.8% ¦ εκ νομου αν NA SBL TH 1.3% ¦ εν νομω αν WH 0.2%

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

UTN 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”

Parallel GAL 3:21