For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.
Parallel translations
- WEB For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
- KJV For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
- NKJV For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
- NASB For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
- NLT For if the inheritance could be received by keeping the law, then it would not be the result of accepting God’s promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham as a promise.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
If the inheritance came by law, it would no longer be by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Inheritance and law are mutually exclusive.
Overview
Paul insists the inheritance, the blessing of salvation, comes by God's free promise, not legal performance. Promise and law are opposing principles for obtaining God's gift. Since God granted it to Abraham as a promise, it is received by grace through faith, not earned by obedience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rom 4:13–16For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world was not given through the law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.
- Heb 6:12–15Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
- Gal 2:21I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.
- Ps 105:42For He remembered His holy promise to Abraham His servant.
- Rom 8:17And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
- Luke 1:54–55He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
- Gal 3:29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
- Ps 105:6–12O offspring of His servant Abraham, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
- Luke 1:72–73to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
- Gal 3:10All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”
- Gal 3:12The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
- Gal 3:16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
- Mic 7:18–20Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
- Gal 3:26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
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Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
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Original language
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