Galatians 3:16

American Standard Version (1901)

Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Τῷ δὲ Ἀβραὰμ ἐρρήθησαν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ. Οὐ Λέγει, Καὶ τοῖς σπέρμασιν, ὡς ἐπὶ πολλῶν· ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐφʼ ἑνός, Καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου, ὅς ἐστιν Χριστός.

Transliteration

Now to Abraam were errēthēsan the epangeliai and to the spermati of him. Not he Legei, 'And to the spermasin,' as of many; but as of one, 'And to the spermati of you,' who estin Christos.

Grammar Details

• *Abraam*: dative, masculine, singular - Abraham
• *errēthēsan*: aorist, passive, indicative, 3rd person, plural - were spoken/said
• *epangeliai*: nominative, feminine, plural - promises
• *spermati*: dative, neuter, singular - seed/offspring
• *Legei*: present, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular - He says/it says
• *spermasin*: dative, neuter, plural - seeds/offspring (plural)
• *estin*: present, active, indicative, 3rd person, singular - is
• *Christos*: nominative, masculine, singular - Christ/Messiah/Anointed One

Word Meanings

• *errēthēsan*: were spoken/were said/were promised
• *epangeliai*: promises/announcements
• *spermati*: seed/offspring/descendant
• *Legei*: He says/it says/Scripture says
• *spermasin*: seeds/offspring (plural)/descendants
• *Christos*: Christ/Messiah/Anointed One

Referenced Verses

• Gen 12:7 : 7 And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him.
• Rom 4:13 : 13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith.
• Rom 4:16 : 16 For this cause [it is] of faith, that [it may be] according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
• Gen 49:10 : 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the obedience of the peoples be.
• Luke 1:55 : 55 (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.
• Acts 3:25 : 25 Ye are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 12:3 : 3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Rom 12:5 : 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.
• 1 Cor 12:12 : 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
• 1 Cor 12:27 : 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and severally members thereof.
• Gal 3:8 : 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall all the nations be blessed.
• Gal 3:27-29 : 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. 28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one [man] in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise.
• Eph 4:15-16 : 15 but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, [even] Christ; 16 from whom all the body fitly framed and knit together through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in [due] measure of each several part, maketh the increase of the body unto the building up of itself in love.
• Eph 5:29-30 : 29 for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church; 30 because we are members of his body.
• Eph 5:32 : 32 This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church.
• Col 2:19 : 19 and not holding fast the Head, from whom all the body, being supplied and knit together through the joints and bands, increasing with the increase of God.
• Col 3:11 : 11 where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondman, freeman; but Christ is all, and in all.
• Gen 13:15-16 : 15 for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then may thy seed also be numbered.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
• Gen 17:7-8 : 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
• Gen 21:12 : 12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy handmaid; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
• Gen 22:17-18 : 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
• Gen 26:3-4 : 3 sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
• Gen 28:13-14 : 13 And, behold, Jehovah stood above it, and said, I am Jehovah, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.