Galatians 3:8
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Original Language Analysis
ἡ
G3588
ἡ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
3 of 22
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
γραφὴ
the scripture
G1124
γραφὴ
the scripture
Strong's:
G1124
Word #:
4 of 22
a document, i.e., holy writ (or its contents or a statement in it)
ὅτι
saying
G3754
ὅτι
saying
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
5 of 22
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
ἐκ
through
G1537
ἐκ
through
Strong's:
G1537
Word #:
6 of 22
a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause literal or figurative; direct
πίστεως
faith
G4102
πίστεως
faith
Strong's:
G4102
Word #:
7 of 22
persuasion, i.e., credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of god or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon christ
δικαιοῖ
would justify
G1344
δικαιοῖ
would justify
Strong's:
G1344
Word #:
8 of 22
to render (i.e., show or regard as) just or innocent
τὰ
G3588
τὰ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
9 of 22
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἔθνη·
nations
G1484
ἔθνη·
nations
Strong's:
G1484
Word #:
10 of 22
a race (as of the same habit), i.e., a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan)
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
11 of 22
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
θεὸς
God
G2316
θεὸς
God
Strong's:
G2316
Word #:
12 of 22
a deity, especially (with g3588) the supreme divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; exceedingly (by hebraism)
προευηγγελίσατο
preached before the gospel
G4283
προευηγγελίσατο
preached before the gospel
Strong's:
G4283
Word #:
13 of 22
to announce glad news in advance
τῷ
G3588
τῷ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
14 of 22
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ὅτι
saying
G3754
ὅτι
saying
Strong's:
G3754
Word #:
16 of 22
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
Cross References
Genesis 12:3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.Genesis 22:18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.Genesis 28:14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.Genesis 26:4And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;Genesis 18:18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?Galatians 3:22But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.Hebrews 4:2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.John 7:38He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.Genesis 49:10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.Galatians 3:16Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Historical Context
Genesis 12:3 (God's call of Abraham) and 22:18 (after the near-sacrifice of Isaac) both promise that 'all nations' (Hebrew *goyim*, Greek *ethnē*—Gentiles) would be blessed in Abraham. Jewish interpretation saw this as Israel's privilege spreading to Gentiles who would become proselytes; Paul sees the reverse—the blessing always included direct Gentile access to Abraham's God through faith. This promise grounds Paul's Gentile mission and explains why he insists circumcision is unnecessary—the original Abrahamic promise included uncircumcised Gentiles.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Paul's argument that 'Scripture preached the gospel to Abraham' demonstrate the unity of Old and New Testament salvation (always by faith)?
- What does it mean that God's plan to justify the Gentiles by faith was announced 2,000 years before Christ's coming? How does this strengthen your confidence in God's sovereign plan?
- In what ways does the Abrahamic promise ('all nations blessed in you') still shape Christian mission and our understanding of God's global purposes today?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Paul personifies Scripture as an active agent that 'foresaw' (proidousa, προϊδοῦσα)—literally 'seeing beforehand.' The participial phrase 'foreseeing that God would justify' reveals that justification by faith was not a New Testament innovation but the Old Testament plan all along. The verb 'justify' (dikaioi, δικαιοῖ) is present tense: God's ongoing justifying action is by faith, for Jew and Gentile alike.
The phrase 'preached before the gospel' (proeuēngelisato, προευηγγελίσατο) is stunning—Paul uses the word 'gospelized' (εὐαγγελίζω) with the prefix pro- (before): Scripture pre-preached the good news to Abraham centuries before Christ. The gospel is ancient, not novel. The quote from Genesis 12:3 and 22:18—'In thee shall all nations (ethnē, ἔθνη) be blessed'—reveals God's global plan to justify Gentiles by faith from the beginning.
This verse obliterates the Judaizer claim that Paul's law-free gospel was heretical novelty. The gospel of justification by faith, including Gentiles without circumcision, was announced to Abraham 2,000 years before Christ, embedded in the foundational promise of Genesis. Scripture itself is the evangelist, and the gospel is the Abrahamic promise fulfilled in Christ.