King James Bible
"Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
Paul anticipates the question: if salvation comes through faith, what purpose did the Mosaic Law serve? He explains it was introduced to reveal and restrain sin, making humanity aware of their transgressions and need for redemption. The Law had a temporary function, serving until Christ (the promised 'seed' of Abraham from Genesis) arrived. This establishes the Law as preparatory rather than permanent, pointing forward to the fulfillment of God's covenant promise. Jewish tradition held that angels delivered the Law to Moses, who served as mediator between God and Israel. Paul emphasizes this indirect transmission to contrast it with the direct promise God made to Abraham, suggesting the Law's subordinate status to the promise.