15 Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will.[a] 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed,[b](A) who is Christ. 17 My point is this: The law, which came 430 years later,(B) does not invalidate a covenant previously established by God[c] and thus cancel the promise. 18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise; but God has graciously given it to Abraham through the promise.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:15 Or a human covenant that has been ratified
  2. 3:16 Gn 12:7; 13:15; 17:8; 24:7
  3. 3:17 Other mss add in Christ

The Law and God’s Promise

15 Dear brothers and sisters,[a] here’s an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. 16 God gave the promises to Abraham and his child.[b] And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,[c]” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ. 17 This is what I am trying to say: The agreement God made with Abraham could not be canceled 430 years later when God gave the law to Moses. God would be breaking his promise. 18 For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:15 Greek Brothers.
  2. 3:16a Greek seed; also in 3:16c, 19. See notes on Gen 12:7 and 13:15.
  3. 3:16b Greek seeds.