Galatians 3:15
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.

New Living Translation
Dear brothers and sisters, 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.

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.

Berean Standard Bible
Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.

Berean Literal Bible
Brothers, I am speaking according to man. No one sets aside or adds thereto a covenant even of man, having been ratified.

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.

New King James Version
Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.

New American Standard Bible
Brothers and sisters, 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.

NASB 1995
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.

NASB 1977
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.

Legacy Standard Bible
Brothers, I speak in human terms: 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.

Amplified Bible
Brothers and sisters, I speak in terms of human relations: even though a last will and testament is just a human covenant, yet when it has been signed and made legally binding, no one sets it aside or adds to it [modifying it in some way].

Christian Standard Bible
Brothers and sisters, I’m using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to a validated human will.

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.

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
My brethren, I speak as among men, that a man does not reject or change anything in a man's covenant which has been confirmed.

Contemporary English Version
My friends, I will use an everyday example to explain what I mean. Once someone agrees to something, no one else can change or cancel the agreement.

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.

English Revised 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person's will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect.

Good News Translation
My friends, I am going to use an everyday example: when two people agree on a matter and sign an agreement, no one can break it or add anything to it.

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.

Literal Standard Version
Brothers, I say [it] as a man, no one even makes void or adds to a confirmed covenant of man,

Majority Standard Bible
Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.

New American Bible
Brothers, in human terms I say that no one can annul or amend even a human will once ratified.

NET Bible
Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it.

New Revised Standard Version
Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it.

New Heart English Bible
Brothers, I am speaking in human terms. Though it is only a human covenant, once it has been ratified, no one annuls it or adds to it.

Webster's Bible Translation
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it is but a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth to it.

Weymouth New Testament
Brethren, even a covenant made by a man--to borrow an illustration from daily life--when once formally sanctioned is not liable to be set aside or added to.

World English Bible
Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.

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,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Purpose of the Law
14He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. 15Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. 16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.…

Cross References
Acts 1:15
In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said,

Romans 1:13
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Romans 3:5
But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

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

Hebrews 6:13
When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

Hebrews 6:16
Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.


Treasury of Scripture

Brothers, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man cancels, or adds thereto.

I speak.

Romans 6:19
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

1 Corinthians 15:32
If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

it be.

Hebrews 9:17
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

covenant.

Jump to Previous
Added Addeth Adds Annuls Borrow Case Conditions Confirmed Covenant Daily Established Example Formally Human Illustration Life Makes Maketh Manner Once Ratified Relations Sanctioned Sets Speak Speaking Terms Thereto Void
Jump to Next
Added Addeth Adds Annuls Borrow Case Conditions Confirmed Covenant Daily Established Example Formally Human Illustration Life Makes Maketh Manner Once Ratified Relations Sanctioned Sets Speak Speaking Terms Thereto Void
Galatians 3
1. He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law.
6. Those who believe are justified,
9. and blessed with Abraham.
10. And this he shows by many reasons.
15. The purpose of the Law
26. You are sons of God














(15-18) To take an illustration from purely human relations. A covenant once ratified is binding. It cannot be treated as if it did not exist, neither can fresh clauses be added to it. Now the covenant and promise made to Abraham (by the terms in which it was made) could point to no one but the Messiah. That covenant remained unaffected by the Law, which was four hundred and thirty years subsequent to it in point of date. Law and promise are two totally different and mutually exclusive things. But the covenant with Abraham was given by promise. The Law, therefore, had nothing to do with it.

(15) I speak after the manner of men.--The figure that I am going to use is one taken from the ordinary civil relations between man and man, and therefore, it is left to be inferred, supplies an a fortiori argument in things relating to God, for men may change and break the most solemn engagements; God is absolutely faithful and unchangeable. The phrase translated "I speak after the manner of men" is found in the same, or a very similar form, in Romans 3:5; Romans 6:19; 1Corinthians 9:8, where see the Notes.

Though it be but a man's covenant.--This is well rendered in the Authorised version. A covenant, even though it is only between two men--though it is regulated by the provisions only of human law--does not admit of alteration or addition after it has once been signed and sealed; much more a covenant which depends on God.

Covenant.--The word thus translated is that which gave its name to the "Old and New Testaments," where a more correct rendering would be the "Old and New Covenants." The word has both senses. It meant originally a "disposition" or "settlement," and hence came, on the one hand, to be confined to a "testamentary disposition," while, on the other hand, it was taken to mean a settlement arrived at by agreement between two parties. The first sense is that most commonly found in classical writers; the second is used almost entirely in the LXX. and New Testament. The one exception is in Hebrews 9:15-17, where the idea of "covenant" glides into that of "testament," the argument rather turning upon the double meaning of the word. . . .

Verse 15. - Brethren, I speak after the manner of men (ἀδελφοί κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω). "Brethren." The tone of indignant reproach with which the chapter opened has gradually subsided in the course of the apostle's argument; so that here he appeals to the Galatian Churchmen as "brethren; ' as if to bespeak their candid attention to the consideration he is about to allege. "I speak after the manner of men." I say it as stating a principle commonly recognized in human life, in respect to contracts between man and man (see note on the phrase, Galatians 1:11). In a similar manner, in Hebrews 6:16, 17 the writer refers to human methods of ratifying solemn engagements, in order to illustrate a course of proceeding on another occasion condescendingly adopted by God. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be (when it hath been) confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto (ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ η} ἐπιδιατάσσεται). The Authorized Version has thus happily rendered the ὅμως, which is here transposed cut of its logical position, as it is also in 1 Corinthians 14:7, and as ἔτι is in Romans 5:6. The apostle's meaning is that, if even men are constrained by their sense of justice to abide by this rule, much more may the All-righteous One be expected to do so. This a fortiori suggestion (for St. Paul only hints this consideration by introducing the word ὅμως without explicitly developing it) is similar to the afortiori argument more explicitly stated by our Lord with reference to God's justice, in Luke 18:6, 7; and to his fatherliness, in Luke 11:13. "Covenant." The word διαθήκη, properly "disposition," which, in classical Greek, generally means "will," "testament," is used in the Septuagint to render the Hebrew berith, covenant, in which sense it occurs once in Aristophanes, 'Ayes,' 439; and it appears to denote "covenant" in all the thirty-three places in which it is found in the New Testament; for even Hebrews 9:17 can hardly be allowed to be an exception. Bishop Lightfoot observes that the Septuagint translators and the New Testament writers probably preferred διαθήκη to συνθήκη, the ordinary Greek word for "covenant," when speaking of a Divine dispensation, because, like "promise," it better expresses the free grace of God. Perhaps the terms appeared to them more suitable also in this application, because one of the parties to the engagement was no other than the supreme sovereign Disposer of all things. "Confirmed;" ratified; as it were, signed, sealed, and delivered. "No one;" meaning neither of the two covenanting parties. "Addeth thereto;" addeth any fresh condition, such as would clog the action of the previous engagement. The apostle adds this with reference to the supposition that the Law of Moses might have qualified the Abrahamic covenant by limiting its benefits to persons ceremonially clean.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Brothers,
Ἀδελφοί (Adelphoi)
Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural
Strong's 80: A brother, member of the same religious community, especially a fellow-Christian. A brother near or remote.

let me put this
λέγω (legō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

in human terms.
κατὰ (kata)
Preposition
Strong's 2596: A primary particle; down, in varied relations (genitive, dative or accusative) with which it is joined).

Even
ὅμως (homōs)
Conjunction
Strong's 3676: Yet, nevertheless, even. Adverb from the base of homou; at the same time, i.e. notwithstanding, yet still.

a human covenant,
διαθήκην (diathēkēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1242: From diatithemai; properly, a disposition, i.e. a contract.

once it is ratified,
κεκυρωμένην (kekyrōmenēn)
Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2964: To ratify, confirm, make valid, reaffirm, assure. From the same as kurios; to make authoritative, i.e. Ratify.

cannot
οὐδεὶς (oudeis)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3762: No one, none, nothing.

be canceled
ἀθετεῖ (athetei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 114: From a compound of a and a derivative of tithemi; to set aside, i.e. to disesteem, neutralize or violate.

or
(ē)
Conjunction
Strong's 2228: Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.

amended.
ἐπιδιατάσσεται (epidiatassetai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1928: To make an additional testamentary disposition, To furnish with additions.


Links
Galatians 3:15 NIV
Galatians 3:15 NLT
Galatians 3:15 ESV
Galatians 3:15 NASB
Galatians 3:15 KJV

Galatians 3:15 BibleApps.com
Galatians 3:15 Biblia Paralela
Galatians 3:15 Chinese Bible
Galatians 3:15 French Bible
Galatians 3:15 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: Galatians 3:15 Brothers speaking of human terms though it (Gal. Ga)
Galatians 3:14
Top of Page
Top of Page