Galatians 3:17-24 Further, I am now saying and meaning this: the Law = Torah, being that having come into existence after four hundred and thirty years, is not invalidating (depriving of authority; annulling) into the situation to idle-down (render ineffective, useless, unproductive or inoperative) the Promise – a settled arrangement (contract; covenant; will and testament deed of gift) existing as having been previously validated (confirmed; legally ratified) by, and under the authority of, God!

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹⁷ Further, I am now saying and meaning this: the Law [= Torah], being that having come into existence after four hundred and thirty years, is not invalidating (depriving of authority; annulling) into the situation to idle-down (render ineffective, useless, unproductive or inoperative) the Promise – a settled arrangement (contract; covenant; will and testament deed of gift) existing as having been previously validated (confirmed; legally ratified) by, and under [the authority of], God! ¹⁸ For if the inheritance (the possession and enjoyment of the distributed allotment) [is] from out of Law [= Torah], [it is] no longer from out of Promise. Yet God has Himself graced [it] (has for Himself, in favor, freely granted [it]), so that it now stands as a favor of grace, to (or: for; in) Abraham through a Promise (or: because of a promise). ¹⁹ Why, then, the Law [= Torah] of The Transgressions? It was at one point set aiming at, and thus provided a view to, grace and favor [D, F, G & others read: It was appointed for (or: set {beside}) grace] (or: Why, then, the Law? It was placed close and applied {imposed; added} on behalf of the walks to the side of [the path]; or: What, therefore [is] the Law [= Torah]? Something set, as a favor, face-to-face with the over-steppings and transgressions to the side of and beyond [the Way]) – being precisely arranged and thoroughly prescribed and mandated by injunction through means of agents (or: messengers; folks with the message) within the midst of [the] hand of a mediator (or: in an umpire's hand; within [the] hand of an arbitrator or an intermediary in a middle position) – as far as to where (or: until which place or time) the Seed would (or: should) come, to Whom and for Whom the promise had been made (or: in Whom He had been promised). ²⁰ Now there is no mediator of one (= when one person is concerned or is acting alone). Yet (or: Now) God is One. [note: to make a promise, one is sufficient – there is no need for a middleman] ²¹ Is the Law, then, following the pattern of (or: down from; or: down against; or: on a par with; commensurate with; corresponding to) God's promises? May it not happen (It could not come to be; = Of course not)! For if a law (or: [the] Law) were given which continued having power or being able at any point to make alive (to construct or create living folks; to engender living ones; to impart life), really, the fairness and equity in right relationship (the rightwised qualities of justice and freedom from guilt within the Way pointed out; also = covenant inclusion) were likely being from out of the midst of [the] Law [= Torah; other MSS: residing within law]. ²² But to the contrary, the Scripture encircles and encloses [as fish in a net] all things, shuts them up together and locks the whole (the totality of everything) under (or: by) failure (error; deviation; the missing of the target; sin), to the end that the Promise would (or: could) suddenly be given to (or: in; for) the folks habitually trusting (or: progressively believing with faith's conviction) from out of Jesus Christ's faith (or: forth from the midst of the faith whose source and origin is Jesus Christ; from the midst of the trust and conviction which is Jesus Christ; or: so that the promise [which comes] forth from Jesus Christ’s trust, can at some point be given to the people presently having convinced assurance). ²³ So before the [time, or, event for] the Faith to come (or: prior to the coming of this trust, assurance and conviction), we were being continuously confined and held in custody under the watch of a guard, being folks constantly encircled, enclosed, shut up and locked together by and under Law, [with a view to, aimed and moving] into the Faith and Trust being about to be unveiled (or: revealed; disclosed), ²⁴ so that, consequently, the Law (= Torah) had come to be (had been birthed into existence) and continued being our supervising guardian and attending escort [with a view to, aimed and moving] into Christ, to the end that we could (or: would) be made just, fair and equitable (rightwised; turned in the right direction and placed in right relationship within the Way pointed out; freed from guilt; also = included in covenant) from out of faith, conviction and trust.