King James Bible
"Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law."
Paul anticipates a logical objection: if justification comes through faith rather than law, does this make God's law oppose His promises to Abraham? His emphatic denial ('God forbid') affirms that law and promise serve different but complementary purposes in God's plan. Paul explains why law and promise don't conflict: the law was never designed to impart spiritual life. The hypothetical construction emphasizes that no law—not even God's perfect law—possesses the inherent power to regenerate dead hearts or create righteousness. The logical conclusion: if any law could produce life, then righteousness would indeed come through law-keeping rather than faith. This underscores Paul's argument that the law's inability to justify doesn't represent a failure but reflects its intended purpose as something other than a means of salvation.