This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of 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?
- BSB 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?
- 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 they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
- Gal 3:14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
- Acts 15:8And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
- Eph 1:13–14In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
- Gal 3:5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
- Acts 8:15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
- Heb 2:4God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
- Acts 19:2–6He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
- Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
- Acts 10:44–47While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
- Acts 11:15–18And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
- Heb 6:4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
- Rom 1:17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
- 1 Cor 12:7–13But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
- 1 Pet 1:12Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
- 2 Cor 11:4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
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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.