Font Size
Galatians 3:19-21
EasyEnglish Bible
Galatians 3:19-21
EasyEnglish Bible
The purpose of God's Law
19 So we could ask: Why did God give his Law to his people after his promise to Abraham? He gave his Law to show them which things are wrong. It would have authority until Abraham's special descendant would come. That was the descendant that God had promised to bless. God used angels to give his Law to his people.[a] It was Moses who received the Law from God, and Moses then took it to God's people. 20 But God himself gave his promise to Abraham. It was not necessary to have somebody in between, like Moses.
21 So should we say that God's Law works against God's promises? No, certainly that is not true! It is not possible for the rules of any law to give us life with God. If that could happen, then God would have accepted us as right if we obeyed those rules.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 3:19 The Jews believed that God sent angels to Moses on Sinai mountain. See Exodus 19—20, and Acts 7:38,53.
Galatians 3:19-21
New International Version
Galatians 3:19-21
New International Version
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions(A) until the Seed(B) to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels(C) and entrusted to a mediator.(D) 20 A mediator,(E) however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not!(F) For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.(G)
Galatians 3:19-21
English Standard Version
Galatians 3:19-21
English Standard Version
19 Why then the law? (A)It was added because of transgressions, (B)until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was (C)put in place through angels (D)by an intermediary. 20 Now (E)an intermediary implies more than one, but (F)God is one.
21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For (G)if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law.
Read full chapter
EasyEnglish Bible (EASY)
EasyEnglish Bible Copyright © MissionAssist 2019 - Charitable Incorporated Organisation 1162807. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.