Galatians 3:20 (KJV)

What does Galatians 3:20 mean?

Galatians 3:20 says that a mediator is only needed when there is more than one party involved, but God is one. The verse highlights the difference between a mediated agreement and God’s direct promise, stressing God’s unity and direct action.

Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia, explaining the relationship between the law given through Moses and God’s promise to Abraham. In this verse, Paul points out that the law required a mediator (Moses), but God’s promise did not—because God alone made and kept the promise, showing His unique, undivided role.

The Greek behind Galatians 3:20

• μεσίτης (mesitēs, "mediator"): This word means someone who stands between two parties to help them reach an agreement. Paul uses it to show that the law came through an intermediary, not directly from God to the people.
• εἷς (heis, "one"): The Greek word for "one" is repeated to stress God’s unity. Paul contrasts the idea of multiple parties needing a mediator with the oneness of God, who acts alone in making His promise.

Why Galatians 3:20 matters

• Galatians 3:20 helps clarify that the law was not the final or highest way God related to people; it involved intermediaries, unlike God’s direct promise to Abraham.
• The verse emphasizes God’s unique, undivided nature, which is important in understanding how God’s promises are different from human agreements.
• This verse connects to Paul’s larger argument that faith in God’s promise, not the law, is the basis for belonging to God’s family.