Galatians 3:1-5
Expanded Bible
Blessing Comes Through Faith
3 ·You [L O] ·foolish [stupid] Galatians! Who has ·tricked [or cast a spell on; bewitched] you? ·You were told very clearly about the death of Jesus Christ on the cross [L Before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed/announced as crucified]. 2 Tell me this one thing: How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Did you receive the Spirit by ·following [L the works of] the law? ·No, you received the Spirit [L …or] ·because you heard the Good News and believed it [by believing what you heard]. 3 ·Are you so foolish [How can you be so stupid]? You began ·your life in Christ by [L by; or through] the Spirit. Now are you trying to ·make it complete [finish; or be perfected] by ·your own power [human effort; L the flesh]? 4 ·Were all your experiences wasted [or Have you suffered so much for nothing]? ·I hope not [or Surely it was not for nothing; L —if indeed for nothing]! 5 Does God give you the Spirit and work miracles among you ·because you follow [L by the works of] the law? ·No, he does these things [L …or] ·because you heard the Good News and believed it [by your believing what you heard; v. 2].
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Galatians 3:1-5
Amplified Bible
Faith Brings Righteousness
3 O you foolish and thoughtless and superficial Galatians, who has bewitched you [that you would act like this], to whom—right before your very eyes—Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [in the gospel message]? 2 This is all I want to ask of you: did you receive the [Holy] Spirit as the result of obeying [the requirements of] the Law, or was it the result of hearing [the message of salvation and] with faith [believing it]? 3 Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]? 4 Have you suffered so many things and experienced so much all for nothing—if indeed it was all for nothing? 5 So then, does He who supplies you with His [marvelous Holy] Spirit and works miracles among you, do it as a result of the works of the Law [which you perform], or because you [believe confidently in the message which you] heard with faith?
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