Galatians 3:16

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Now to Abraham the promises were spoken, and to his seed. It does not say, 'and to seeds,' as if referring to many, but, 'and to your seed,' meaning one, who 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

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, 'And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, 'And to your seed,' which is Christ.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

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

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  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.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

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

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  To Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He sayth not in the seedes as in many: but in thy sede as in one which is Christ.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  To Abraham and his sede were the promyses made. He sayeth not: In the sedes, as in many, but in thy sede, as in one, which is Christ.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Nowe to Abraham and his seede were the promises made. Hee saith not, And to the seedes, as speaking of many: but, And to thy seede, as of one, which is Christ.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  To Abraham and his seede were the promises made. He sayth not to the seedes, as of many: but to thy seede, as of one, which is Christe.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

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

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn't say, "To seeds," as of many, but as of one, "To your seed," which is Christ.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed; He doth not say, `And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, `And to thy seed,' which is Christ;

• 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.

• 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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Now to Abraham were the undertakings given, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of a great number; but as of one, he says, And to your seed, which is Christ.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He doesn't say, "To seeds," as of many, but as of one, "To your seed," which is Christ.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say,“and to the descendants,” referring to many, but“and to your descendant,” referring to one, who is Christ.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 12:7 : 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
• Rom 4:13 : 13 For the promise to Abraham or his descendants that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
• Rom 4:16 : 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, that it may be according to grace, so that it might be guaranteed to all the offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
• Gen 49:10 : 10 'The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come, and the obedience of the peoples shall be his.'
• Luke 1:55 : 55 just as He spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants forever.
• Acts 3:25 : 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham: 'Through your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.'
• Gen 12:3 : 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.
• Rom 12:5 : 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
• 1 Cor 12:12 : 12 Just as the body is one but has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so also is Christ.
• 1 Cor 12:27 : 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
• Gal 3:8 : 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'All nations will be blessed through you.'
• Gal 3:27-29 : 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Eph 4:15-16 : 15 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. 16 From him the whole body, being joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work.
• Eph 5:29-30 : 29 For no one ever hated his own body, but he nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of His body.
• Eph 5:32 : 32 This mystery is great—but I am speaking about Christ and the church.
• Col 2:19 : 19 Such a person does not hold fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that comes from God.
• Col 3:11 : 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and in all.
• Gen 13:15-16 : 15 For all the land you see, I will give to you and your descendants forever. 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants could also be counted.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 He took him outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then He added, "So will your descendants be."
• Gen 17:7-8 : 7 I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 And I will give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are now living as a foreigner—all the land of Canaan—as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
• Gen 21:12 : 12 But God said to Abraham, 'Do not be distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.'
• Gen 22:17-18 : 17 I will surely bless you and will greatly multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore, and your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. 18 And through your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.'
• Gen 26:3-4 : 3 Stay in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your descendants and will fulfill the oath I swore to Abraham your father. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and give them all these lands, and through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
• Gen 28:13-14 : 13 And there was the Lord standing above it, and He said, 'I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. The land on which you are lying, I will give to you and to your descendants.' 14 Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south. Through you and your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed.