Galatians 3:5

He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you, and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles amongst you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

BSB

Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

KJV

He 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?

ASV

He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

BBE

He who gives you the Spirit, and does works of power among you, is it by the works of law, or by the hearing of faith?

Original Greek

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Ὁ Ho The [One] G3588 οὖν oun therefore G3767 ἐπιχορηγῶν epichorēgōn supplying G2023 ὑμῖν humin to you G4771 τὸ to the G3588 πνεῦμα pneuma Spirit G4151 καὶ kai and G2532 ἐνεργῶν energōn working G1754 δυνάμεις dunameis miracles G1411 ἐν en among G1722 ὑμῖν humin you G4771 ἐξ ex [is it] out of G1537 ἔργων ergōn works G2041 νόμου nomou of the Law G3551 ἢ ē or G2228 ἐξ ex out of G1537 ἀκοῆς akoēs hearing G189 πίστεως; pisteōs of faith G4102

The early church

Have ye been vouchsafed, he says, so great a gift, and achieved such wonders, because ye observed the Law, or because ye adhered to Faith? plainly on account of Faith. Seeing that they played this argument to and fro, that apart from the Law, Faith had no force, he proves the contrary, viz., that if the Commandments be added, Faith no longer avails; for Faith then has efficacy when things from the Law are not added to it. "Ye who would be justified by the Law, ye are fallen away from grace:" This he says later, when his language has grown bolder, employing the vantage-ground by that time gained; meanwhile while gaining it, he argues from their past experience. For it was when ye obeyed Faith, he says, not the Law, that ye received the Spirit and wrought miracles. And here, as the Law was the subject of discussion, he moots another special point of controversy, and very opportunely and with much cogency introduces a notice of Abraham.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Galatians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–5

Several things made the folly of the Galatian Christians worse. They had the doctrine of the cross preached, and the Lord's supper administered among them, in both which Christ crucified, and the nature of his sufferings, had been fully and clearly set forth. Had they been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, by the ministration of the law, or on account of any works done by them in obedience thereto? Was it not by their hearing and embracing the doctrine of faith in Christ alone for justification? Which of these had God owned with tokens of his favour and acceptance? It was not by the first, but the last. And those must be very unwise, who suffer themselves to be turned away from the ministry and doctrine which have been blessed to their spiritual advantage. Alas, that men should turn from the all-important doctrine of Christ crucified, to listen to useless distinctions, mere moral preaching, or wild fancies! The god of this world, by various men and means, has blinded men's eyes, lest they should learn to trust in a crucified Saviour. We may boldly demand where the fruits of the Holy Spirit are most evidently brought forth? whether among those who preach justification by the works of the law, or those who preach the doctrine of faith? Assuredly among the latter.

Read Matthew Henry on Galatians 3 →

Cross-references

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.