I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
Parallel translations
- WEB I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?
- KJV This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- NKJV This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- NASB This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
- NLT Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul asks whether they received the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith. Their own experience answers: it was by faith.
Overview
Paul appeals to the Galatians' conversion experience as evidence. They received the Holy Spirit through believing the gospel, not through law-keeping. This single question exposes the absurdity of now adding law to faith, since their Christian life began entirely by grace through faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Rom 10:16–17But not all of them welcomed the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
- Gal 3:14He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Acts 15:8And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.
- Eph 1:13–14And in Him, having heard and believed the word of truth—the gospel of your salvation—you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
- Gal 3:5Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
- Acts 8:15On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
- Heb 2:4and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.
- Acts 19:2–6and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 2:38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Acts 10:44–47While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard his message.
- Acts 11:15–18As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He had fallen upon us at the beginning.
- Heb 6:4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Rom 1:17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
- 1 Cor 12:7–13Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
- 1 Pet 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, when they foretold the things now announced by those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
- 2 Cor 11:4For if someone comes and proclaims a Jesus other than the One we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit than the One you received, or a different gospel than the one you accepted, you put up with it way too easily.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Christ became a curse for us to redeem us from the law's curse, that we might receive the Spirit and be sons — justified by faith in him, not by works.
How Galatians 3:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.