15. Brothers and sisters, I speak in human terms: even with a man’s covenant, once it has been confirmed, no one cancels it or adds to it.
16. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It doesn’t say, “and to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “and to your seed,” who is the Messiah.
17. What I am saying is this: Torah, which came 430 years later, does not cancel the covenant previously confirmed by God, so as to make the promise ineffective.
18. For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise. But God has graciously given it to Abraham by means of a promise.
19. Then why the Torah? It was added because of wrongdoings until the Seed would come—to whom the promise had been made. It was arranged through angels by the hand of an intermediary.
20. Now an intermediary is not for one party alone—but God is one.
21. Then is the Torah against the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given that could impart life, certainly righteousness would have been based on law.
22. But the Scripture has locked up the whole world under sin, so that the promise based on trust in Messiah Yeshua might be given to those who trust.
23. Now before faith came, we were being guarded under Torah—bound together until the coming faith would be revealed.
24. Therefore the Torah became our guardian to lead us to Messiah, so that we might be made right based on trusting.
25. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.