GAL 3:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) So I just want to ask you one thing: did you receive the spirit by obeying all the rules, or was it by faith when you heard?

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT I want to learn only this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing of faith?

UST So, I want to tell you this one thing: God did not give you his Holy Spirit because you obeyed the laws that he gave Moses. Surely you must know that the reason he gave you his Holy Spirit is because when you heard the good news about the Messiah you believed it.

BLB I wish only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing of faith?

AICNT This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

OEB Here is the one thing that I want to find out from you – Did you receive the Spirit as the result of obedience to Law, or of your having listened with faith?

WEBBE I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?

LSV I only wish to learn this from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?

FBV So tell me—did you receive the Spirit by keeping the law, or by placing your trust in what you heard?

TCNT Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?

T4T So, I want you to tell me one thing: Do you think that it was because you obeyed the laws God gave Moses that you received the Holy Spirit? Do you not know that [RHQ] it was because when you heard the good message concerning Christ, you trusted in him?

LEB I want only to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

BBE Give me an answer to this one question, Did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Moff I simply want to ask you one thing: did you receive the Spirit by doing what the Law commands or by believing the gospel message?

Wymth Answer me this one question, "Is it on the ground of your obedience to the Law that you received the Spirit, or is it because, when you heard, you believed?"

ASV This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

DRA This only would I learn of you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

YLT this only do I wish to learn from you — by works of law the Spirit did ye receive, or by the hearing of faith?

Drby This only I wish to learn of you, Have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of [the] report of faith?

RV This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(This only would I learn from you, Received ye/you_all the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? )

SLT This only wish I to learn from you, Received ye the Spirit from the works of the law, or from the hearing of faith?

Wbstr This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

KJB-1769 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
(This only would I learn of you, Received ye/you_all the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? )

KJB-1611 This onely would I learne of you, receiued ye the spirit, by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps This only woulde I learne of you, whether ye receaued the spirite by the deedes of the lawe, or by the hearyng of the fayth?
(This only would I learn of you, whether ye/you_all received the spirit by the deeds of the law, or by the hearing of the faith?)

Gnva This only would I learne of you, Receiued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Lawe, or by the hearing of faith preached?
(This only would I learn of you, Receiued ye/you_all the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith preached? )

Cvdl This onely wolde I lerne of you: Receaued ye the sprete by the dedes of the lawe, or by the preachinge of the faith?
(This only would I learn of you: Receaued ye/you_all the spirit by the deeds of the law, or by the preaching of the faith?)

TNT This only wolde I learne of you: receaved ye the sprete by the dedes of the lawe or els by preachinge of the faith?
(This only would I learn of you: received ye/you_all the spirit by the deeds of the law or else by preaching of the faith? )

Wycl This oneli Y wilne to lerne of you, whether ye han vndurfonge the spirit of werkis of the lawe, or of heryng of bileue?
(This only I wilne to learn of you, whether ye/you_all have underfonge the spirit of works of the law, or of hearing of believe?)

Luth Das will ich allein von euch lernen: Habt ihr den Geist empfangen durch des Gesetzes Werke oder durch die Predigt vom Glauben?
(The will I alone/only from you learn: Have you(pl)/their/her the spirit received through the law work or through the sermon from_the faith?)

ClVg Hoc solum a vobis volo discere: ex operibus legis Spiritum accepistis, an ex auditu fidei?[fn]
(This only from to_you(pl) I_want discere: from works law Spirit you_received, an from hearing of_faith? )

3.2 Hoc solum a vobis. Commonitis per increpationem, probat quod lex non est observanda, quia non ex ea, sed ex fide veniunt omnia necessaria, spiritus, justitia, benedictio. Quasi: Quamvis fascinati et stulti, tamen hoc volo a vobis discere, quia hoc adeo evidens est, ut et stulti docere queant. Si nihil aliud esset, hoc solum ad probandum sufficeret, cum constet quia spiritum accepistis; sed an ex operibus in quibus laborem nunquam accepistis, an ex fide quæ auditus facilitate venit?

3.2 This only from to_you(pl). Commonitis through rebukem, approves that the_law not/no it_is observanda, because not/no from them, but from with_faith they_come everything necessary, spirit, justice, blessing. Quasi: Although fascinati and fools, nevertheless this I_want from to_you(pl) discere, because this so_much evidens it_is, as and fools to_teach queant. When/But_if nothing something_else was, this only to probandum sufficeret, when/with constet because spirit you_received; but an from works in/into/on to_whom work never/certainly_not you_received, an from with_faith which hearing facilitate he_came?

UGNT τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ’ ὑμῶν: ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε, ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως?
(touto monon thelō mathein af’ humōn: ex ergōn nomou to Pneuma elabete, aʸ ex akoaʸs pisteōs?)

SBL-GNT τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν, ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;
(touto monon thelō mathein afʼ humōn, ex ergōn nomou to pneuma elabete aʸ ex akoaʸs pisteōs;)

RP-GNT Τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ' ὑμῶν, ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε, ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;
(Touto monon thelō mathein af' humōn, ex ergōn nomou to pneuma elabete, aʸ ex akoaʸs pisteōs;)

TC-GNT Τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν, ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε, ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως;
(Touto monon thelō mathein af humōn, ex ergōn nomou to pneuma elabete, aʸ ex akoaʸs pisteōs; )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, orange:accents differ, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:1–14: We are justified by believing, not by obeying the law

In this section, Paul contrasted “doing” and “believing.” He began by rebuking the Galatians because they had forgotten something. They had forgotten that they had been made right with God (justified) and had received the Holy Spirit by believing. They should not then begin to do/obey the law to be made right with God.

Being made right with God (justification) has always been an issue of believing. Abraham himself was justified because he believed. People who are Abraham’s children are those who believe. They are the ones who are blessed. People who try to be made right with God by obeying the law are cursed, because no one can obey the entire law.

Paul wanted the Galatians to change their ways. He was convinced that if they thought about their actions and understood the truth, they would change.

Some other examples for a heading for this section are:

Justification by Law or by Faith? (NET)

Law or Faith

Paragraph 3:1–5

This paragraph contains the strongest rebuke in the book of Galatians. (It is perhaps the strongest rebuke in the whole New Testament.) Paul rebuked the Galatians using several rhetorical questions. He used these rhetorical questions to tell the Galatians that he was very unhappy with them. He was unhappy because they had turned away from believing/trusting in Christ.

3:2a

I would like to learn just one thing from you:

I want to learn only one thing from you. (GW)
Tell me this one thing: (GNT)
Let me ask you this one question: (NLT)

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Paul used this clause to introduce the rhetorical question in 3:2b. The purpose of this clause was to make the readers think about what they had done. If they thought about these things, they would know the truth.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Let me ask you this one question (NLT)

Tell me this one thing (GNT)

I want you to think about this:

3:2b–c

Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?: This is a rhetorical question. In this rhetorical question, Paul emphasized how the Galatians had received the Spirit. They had not received it by obeying the law. They had received it by faith. The Galatians already knew this. So they should not have returned to obeying the law.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

As a rhetorical question. In some languages, it may be necessary to divide this rhetorical question into two or three questions. For example:
Did you receive God’s Spirit by doing what the law requires? Or was it by hearing the gospel and believing it?
How did you receive God’s Spirit? Was it because of obeying the law? Or did you receive the Spirit because of believing what you heard?
As an exclamation. For example:
You certainly did not receive the Spirit by observing the law! You received it by believing what you heard.
As a rhetorical question with a response. For example:
Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law? Of course not! Instead, you received the Spirit by believing what you heard.

Use whichever form is most natural in your own language.

In some languages, it may be more natural to change the order the clauses. For example:

^2bDid you receive the Spirit ^2cby believing what you heard or ^2bby observing the law?

Also, you should consider how to present an “either-or” idea. In an “either-or” idea, only one part is true. Some possible ways to translate this are:

Use a conditional statement. For example:
^2cIf you received the Spirit by means of believing, ^2bthen you could not have received the Spirit by means of works of the law.
Make it clear which part is not true and which part is true. For example:
^2bDid you receive the Spirit by means of observing the law? No, you did not. ^2cInstead, you received the Spirit by means of believing the good news of Jesus.

3:2b

Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law,

Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law?
How did you receive God’s Spirit? Was it because of obeying the law of Moses?
You certainly did not receive the Spirit through observing the law that God gave to Moses.

the Spirit: The word Spirit refers to the “Holy Spirit.”

Some other ways to translate this word are:

the Holy Spirit

God’s Spirit (GNT)

by works of the law: This phrase refers to obeying the law. This is the same phrase that Paul used in 2:16a. The Galatians did not receive the Spirit by means of obeying/keeping the law.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

by means of following the law

through keeping the law

if/when you obeyed the law

because of your following the law of Moses

following the law that God gave to Moses

You should translate this phrase in the same way that you did in 2:16a.

3:2c

or by hearing with faith?

Or was it by believing what you heard?
Or did you receive it because of believing the good news that you heard?
Rather, you received the Spirit through believing what you heard.

or by hearing with faith: This phrase refers to believing what the Galatians had heard about Jesus Christ. Paul reminded them that they had received the Spirit by means of believing what they heard about Jesus Christ.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

by believing what you heard (NIV)

because of hearing the gospel and believing it

See faith, Meaning 1 in the Glossary for more information.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ Πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε, ἢ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως

by works ˱of˲_law by (Some words not found in SR-GNT: τοῦτο μόνον Θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τό Πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε ἤ ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως)

Paul is not asking for information, but is using the question form to rebuke the Galatian believers. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [You received the Spirit not by doing what the law says, but by believing what you heard.]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐξ ἔργων νόμου

by works ˱of˲_law

See how you translated the phrase by works of the law in [2:16](../02/16.md), where it occurs three times.

Note 3 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

νόμου

˱of˲_law

See how you translated the phrase the law in [2:16](../02/016.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως

by by hearing ˱with˲_faith

Paul is using the possessive form here to describe the response that the Galatians had when they heard the preaching of the gospel. The Galatians had respond to the preaching of the gospel with faith. If this is not clear in your language, you could clarify the relationship for your readers. Alternate translation: [by believing what you heard] or [by hearing with faith] or [by trusting in the Messiah when you heard the message about him]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

πίστεως

˱with˲_faith