Galatians 3:15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

◄ Galatians 3:15 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

English Standard Version
To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.

New American Standard Bible
Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.

King James Bible
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Brothers, I'm using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant that has been ratified.

International Standard Version
Brothers, let me use an example from everyday life. Once a person's will has been ratified, no one can cancel it or add conditions to it.

American Standard Version
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Brethren (I speak after the manner of man,) yet a man's testament, if it be confirmed, no man despiseth, nor addeth to it.

Darby Bible Translation
Brethren, (I speak according to man,) even man's confirmed covenant no one sets aside, or adds other dispositions to.

Young's Literal Translation
Brethren, as a man I say it, even of man a confirmed covenant no one doth make void or doth add to,

Cross References

Acts 1:15
And in those days Peter stood up in the middle of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

Romans 1:13
Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that oftentimes I purposed to come to you, (but was let till now,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

Romans 3:5
But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who takes vengeance? (I speak as a man)

Galatians 6:18
Brothers, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Hebrews 6:13
For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,

Hebrews 6:16
For men truly swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

3:15-18 The covenant God made with Abraham, was not done away by the giving the law to Moses. The covenant was made with Abraham and his Seed. It is still in force; Christ abideth for ever in his person, and his spiritual seed, who are his by faith. By this we learn the difference between the promises of the law and those of the gospel. The promises of the law are made to the person of every man; the promises of the gospel are first made to Christ, then by him to those who are by faith ingrafted into Christ. Rightly to divide the word of truth, a great difference must be put between the promise and the law, as to the inward affections, and the whole practice of life. When the promise is mingled with the law, it is made nothing but the law. Let Christ be always before our eyes, as a sure argument for the defence of faith, against dependence on human righteousness.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

15. I speak after the manner of men—I take an illustration from a merely human transaction of everyday occurrence.

but a man's covenant—whose purpose it is far less important to maintain.

if it be confirmed—when once it hath been ratified.

no man disannulleth—"none setteth aside," not even the author himself, much less any second party. None does so who acts in common equity. Much less would the righteous God do so. The law is here, by personification, regarded as a second person, distinct from, and subsequent to, the promise of God. The promise is everlasting, and more peculiarly belongs to God. The law is regarded as something extraneous, afterwards introduced, exceptional and temporary (Ga 3:17-19, 21-24).

addeth—None addeth new conditions "making" the covenant "of none effect" (Ga 3:17). So legal Judaism could make no alteration in the fundamental relation between God and man, already established by the promises to Abraham; it could not add as a new condition the observance of the law, in which case the fulfilment of the promise would be attached to a condition impossible for man to perform. The "covenant" here is one of free grace, a promise afterwards carried into effect in the Gospel.