Galatians 3:16

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.

Ge 12:3,7; Ge 13:15,16; Ge 15:5; Ge 17:7,8; Ge 21:12; Ge 22:17,18; Ge 26:3,4; Ge 28:13; Ge 28:14; Ge 49:10; Ro 12:5; 1Co 12:12,27; Ga 3:8; Ga 3:27-29; Eph 4:15,16; Eph 5:29,30,32; Col 2:19; Col 3:11

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.

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