Galatians 3:2

Galatians 3:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
• New International Version (NIV)I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?
• New King James Version (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?

Context of Galatians 3:2

1You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain?

Galatians 3:2 word by word

τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν· ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;Read the interlinear

• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• is the onlyμόνοςmonos · aloneG3441
• I wantθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• to findμανθάνωmanthanō · to learnG3129
• out from you: did you receiveλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• the Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• by the worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• the Lawνόμοςnomos · lawG3551
• orἤē · orG2228
• hearingἀκοήakoē · hearingG189
• with faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102

Cross-references for Galatians 3:2

• Galatians 3:5So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
• Acts 2:38Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 8:15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 10:44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
• Acts 11:15And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
• Acts 15:8And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us;
• Acts 19:2He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:7But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
• 2 Corinthians 11:4For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
• Ephesians 1:13In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
• Hebrews 2:4God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
• Hebrews 6:4For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
• 1 Peter 1:12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.
• Romans 1:17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
• Romans 10:16However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”

Commentaries on Galatians 3:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law - This may refer to the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, which were very common in the apostolic Church. Did ye receive these extraordinary gifts in consequence of your circumcision, and observing the Mosaic precepts? or was it by the hearing of the Gospel, prescribing faith in Christ crucified? It may also refer to the spirit of adoption, and consequently to their sonship.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2This only would I learn of you - I would ask this of you; retaining still the language of severe reproof. The design here, and in the following verses, is, to prove to them that the views which they had at first embraced were correct, and that the views which they now cherished were false To show them this, he asks them the simple question, by what means they had obtained the exalted privileges which they enjoyed? Whether they had obtained them by the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The Galatians, like all Christians, received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses (see Acts 2:38–39; Romans 8:9–11; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:11–14; compare Acts 10:44–48; 11:15–18). God accepted the Galatians because they believed the good news about Jesus (compare Romans 10:14–17). This made their return to the law unreasonable (Galatians 3:3–4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. "Was it by the works of the law that ye received the Spirit (manifested by outward miracles, Ga 3:5; Mr 16:17; He 2:4; and by spiritual graces, Ga 3:14; Ga 4:5, 6; Ep 1:13), or by the hearing of faith?" The "only" implies, "I desire, omitting other arguments, to rest the question on this alone"; I who was your teacher, desire now to "learn" this one thing from you. The epithet "Holy" is not prefixed to "Spirit" because that epithet is a joyous one…Read the comment

Topics related to Galatians 3:2

• Faith
• Holy Spirit
• Salvation
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Conclude
• Curse
• Eye
• Flesh
• Foolish
• Redeem
• Schoolmaster
• Shut
• Accommodation
• Galatians, Epistle to the

Commentaries on Galatians 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings