Galatians 3:18

18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

Galatians 3:18 in Other Translations

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a 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.

18 No, this addendum, with its instructions and regulations, has nothing to do with the promised inheritance in the will.

18 For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.

Galatians 3:18 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 3:18

For if the inheritance be of the law
By the inheritance is meant, either the eternal inheritance, everlasting life and happiness in heaven, which is the gift of God through Christ, and not attained to and enforced by the works of the law; or particularly the blessing of justification, promised in the covenant to Abraham, and his spiritual seed; even to the Gentiles, and inherited by them; which is not obtained through obedience to the law of works, nor does it belong to those who seek for it by the deeds of the law, for these are not heirs of it; see ( Romans 4:14 ) . For was this the case,

it is no more of promise;
it cannot be by merit and by promise, by works and grace too; these can never be reconciled, and consist together; if it is by promise, then not of the law; and if it is of the law, it is not by promise: "but" nothing is more certain than this, that

God gave it,
freely, without any consideration of the works of the law,

to Abraham by promise;
wherefore justification is not by works, but by the free grace of God, through faith in the righteousness of Christ; and in this way men become heirs according to the hope of eternal life: all which is directly opposite to the notion of the Jews, who say, that, (Nde Ng wvry twum rkvb) ,

``for the reward of the commandments, men shall inherit paradise ^F11.''

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 Tzeror Hammor, fol. 152. 3.

Galatians 3:18 In-Context

16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.

18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator.

20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

Cross References

• 1. Romans 4:14