3:15 Brothers and sisters, ¹  I offer an example from everyday life: ²  When a covenant ³  has been ratified, ⁴  even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. 3:16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his descendant. ⁵  Scripture ⁶  does not say, “and to the descendants,” ⁷  referring to many, but “and to your descendant,” ⁸  referring to one, who is Christ. 3:17 What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, ⁹  so as to invalidate the promise. 3:18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, it is no longer based on the promise, but God graciously gave ¹⁰  it to Abraham through the promise.

3:19 Why then was the law given? ¹¹  It was added ¹²  because of transgressions, ¹³  until the arrival of the descendant ¹⁴  to whom the promise had been made. It was administered ¹⁵  through angels by an intermediary. ¹⁶