Galatians 3:16

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.

📖 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 the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
• Rom 4:13 : 13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
• Rom 4:16 : 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might 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 a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
• Luke 1:55 : 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
• Acts 3:25 : 25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 12:3 : 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
• Rom 12:5 : 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
• 1 Cor 12:12 : 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
• 1 Cor 12:27 : 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
• Gal 3:8 : 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
• Gal 3:27-29 : 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Eph 4:15-16 : 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
• Eph 5:29-30 : 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
• Eph 5:32 : 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
• Col 2:19 : 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.
• Col 3:11 : 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: 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 shall thy seed also be numbered.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell 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 in 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 wherein thou art a stranger, 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 bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said 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 heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; 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 countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
• Gen 28:13-14 : 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD 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.