Galatians 3:16

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.

📖 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

• 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.

• 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Now{G1161} to Abraham{G11} were{G4483} the promises{G1860} spoken,{G4483} and{G2532} to his{G846} seed.{G4690} He saith{G3004} not,{G3756} And{G2532} to seeds,{G4690} as{G5613} of{G1909} many;{G4183} but{G235} as{G5613} of{G1909} one,{G1520} And{G2532} to{G4690} thy{G4675} seed,{G4690} which{G3739} is{G2076} Christ.{G5547}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Now{G1161} to Abraham{G11} and{G2532} his{G846} seed{G4690} were{G4483} the promises{G1860} made{G4483}{(G5681)}. He saith{G3004}{(G5719)} not{G3756}, And{G2532} to seeds{G4690}, as{G5613} of{G1909} many{G4183}; but{G235} as{G5613} of{G1909} one{G1520}, And{G2532} to thy{G4675} seed{G4690}, which{G3739} is{G2076}{(G5748)} Christ{G5547}.

• 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 And the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, To your descendants will I give this land: and there he built an altar to the LORD, who appeared to him.
• Rom 4:13 : 13 For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham, or to his descendants, 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 that the promise might be sure to all the descendants; not to those only who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,
• Gen 49:10 : 10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him shall the gathering of the people be.
• Luke 1:55 : 55 As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.
• Acts 3:25 : 25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 12:3 : 3 And I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
• Rom 12:5 : 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
• 1 Cor 12:12 : 12 For as the body is one and has 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 you are the body of Christ and members individually.
• Gal 3:8 : 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the gentiles through faith, preached beforehand the gospel unto Abraham, saying, 'In you 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 you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Eph 4:15-16 : 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ: 16 From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
• Eph 5:29-30 : 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does 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 to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
• Col 3:11 : 11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all, and in all.
• Gen 13:15-16 : 15 For all the land which you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever. 16 And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also shall be numbered.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And he brought him outside, and said, Look now toward heaven, and count the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said to him, So shall your offspring be.
• Gen 17:7-8 : 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
• Gen 21:12 : 12 But God said to Abraham, Do not let it be grievous in your sight because of the lad and because of your bondwoman. In all that Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac shall your seed be called.
• Gen 22:17-18 : 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies; 18 And in your descendants shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed my voice.
• Gen 26:3-4 : 3 Stay in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you, and to your descendants, I will give all these countries, and I will fulfill the oath which I swore to Abraham your father; 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these countries; and in your 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 your father, and the God of Isaac: the land where you lie, I will give to you and to your descendants; 14 And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.