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Galatians 3:19-21
King James Version
Galatians 3:19-21
King James Version
19 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.
20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
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.
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Galatians 3:19-21
New King James Version
Galatians 3:19-21
New King James Version
Purpose of the Law
19 What purpose then does the law serve? (A)It was added because of transgressions, till the (B)Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was (C)appointed through angels by the hand (D)of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, (E)but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
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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.
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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
New American Standard Bible
Galatians 3:19-21
New American Standard Bible
19 (A)Why the Law then? It was added on account of the [a]violations, having been (B)ordered through angels (C)at the hand of a [b]mediator, until (D)the Seed would come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now (E)a mediator is not [c]for one party only; but God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? [d](F)Far from it! For (G)if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness [e]would indeed have been [f]based on law.
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- Galatians 3:19 I.e., of God’s commands
- Galatians 3:19 I.e., Moses
- Galatians 3:20 Lit of one
- Galatians 3:21 Lit May it never happen!
- Galatians 3:21 Or would indeed be
- Galatians 3:21 Lit out of, from
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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.
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.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.