Galatians 3:16

NETBible

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. 1  Scripture 2  does not say, “and to the descendants,” 3  referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” 4  referring to one, who is Christ.

NIV ©

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

NASB ©

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.

NLT ©

God gave the promise to Abraham and his child. And notice that it doesn’t say the promise was to his children, as if it meant many descendants. But the promise was to his child––and that, of course, means Christ.

MSG ©

Now, the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. You will observe that Scripture, in the careful language of a legal document, does not say "to descendants," referring to everybody in general, but "to your descendant" (the noun, note, is singular), referring to Christ.

BBE ©

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.

NRSV ©

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, "And to offsprings," as of many; but it says, "And to your offspring," that is, to one person, who is Christ.

NKJV ©

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," who is Christ.

KJV
Now
<1161>
to Abraham
<11>
and
<2532>
his
<846>
seed
<4690>
were
<4483> (0)
the promises
<1860>
made
<4483> (5681)_.
He saith
<3004> (5719)
not
<3756>_,
And
<2532>
to seeds
<4690>_,
as
<5613>
of
<1909>
many
<4183>_;
but
<235>
as
<5613>
of
<1909>
one
<1520>_,
And
<2532>
to thy
<4675>
seed
<4690>_,
which
<3739>
is
<2076> (5748)
Christ
<5547>_.
NASB ©
Now
<1161>
the promises
<1860>
were spoken
<3004>
to Abraham
<11>
and to his seed
<4690>
. He does not say
<3004>
, "And to seeds
<4690>
," as
referring
to many
<4183>
, but
rather
to one
<1520>
, "And to your seed
<4690>
," that is, Christ
<5547>
.
NET [draft] ITL
Now
<1161>
the promises
<1860>
were spoken
<4482>
to Abraham
<11>
and
<2532>
to his
<846>
descendant
<4690>
. Scripture does
<3004>
not
<3756>
say
<3004>
, “and
<2532>
to the descendants
<4690>
,” referring
<5613>
to
<1909>
many
<4183>
, but
<235>
“and
<2532>
to your
<4675>
descendant
<4690>
,” referring
<5613>
to
<1909>
one
<1520>
, who
<3739>
is
<1510>
Christ
<5547>
.
GREEK
tw
<3588>
T-DSM
de
<1161>
CONJ
abraam
<11>
N-PRI
erreyhsan
<4482> (5681)
V-API-3P
ai
<3588>
T-NPF
epaggeliai
<1860>
N-NPF
kai
<2532>
CONJ
tw
<3588>
T-DSN
spermati
<4690>
N-DSN
autou
<846>
P-GSM
ou
<3756>
PRT-N
legei
<3004> (5719)
V-PAI-3S
kai
<2532>
CONJ
toiv
<3588>
T-DPN
spermasin
<4690>
N-DPN
wv
<5613>
ADV
epi
<1909>
PREP
pollwn
<4183>
A-GPN
all
<235>
CONJ
wv
<5613>
ADV
ef
<1909>
PREP
enov
<1520>
A-GSN
kai
<2532>
CONJ
tw
<3588>
T-DSN
spermati
<4690>
N-DSN
sou
<4675>
P-2GS
ov
<3739>
R-NSM
estin
<1510> (5748)
V-PXI-3S
cristov
<5547>
N-NSM
NETBible

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. 1  Scripture 2  does not say, “and to the descendants,” 3  referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” 4  referring to one, who is Christ.

NET Notes

1 tn Grk “his seed,” a figurative extension of the meaning of σπέρμα (sperma) to refer to descendants (L&N 10.29).

2 tn Grk “It”; the referent (the scripture) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The understood subject of the verb λέγει (legei) could also be “He” (referring to God) as the one who spoke the promise to Abraham.

3 tn Grk “to seeds.” See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse. Here the term is plural; the use of the singular in the OT text cited later in this verse is crucial to Paul’s argument.

4 tn See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse.

4 sn A quotation from Gen 12:7; 13:15; 17:7; 24:7.