Galatians 3 · Verse 5

Galatians 3:5

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?

Galatians 3:5, King James Version

Galatians 3:5 in other translations

BSB	Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
WEB	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?
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?
YLT	He, therefore, who is supplying to you the Spirit, and working mighty acts among you--by works of law or by the hearing of faith is it?
DARBY	He therefore who ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, is it on the principle of works of law, or of the report 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?
Webster	He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he this by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

What does Galatians 3:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

5. He ... that ministereth--or "supplieth," God (2Co 9:10). He who supplied and supplies to you the Spirit still, to the present time. These miracles do not prove grace to be in the heart (Mr 9:38, 39). He speaks of these miracles as a matter of unquestioned notoriety among those addressed; an undesigned proof of their genuineness (compare 1Co 12:1-31). worketh miracles among you--rather, "IN you," as Ga 2:8; Mt 14:2; Ep 2:2; Php 2:13; at your conversion and since [Alford]. doeth he it by the works of the law--that is, as a consequence resulting from (so the Greek) the works of the law (compare Ga 3:2). This cannot be because the law was then unknown to you when you received those gifts of the Spirit.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 5. He therefore that ministereth, etc. This verse contains substantially a repetition of the argument in ver. 2. The argument is, that the gift of the Holy Spirit to them was not imparted in consequence of the observance of the law of Moses, but in connexion with the preaching of the gospel. By the word "he," in this place, Clarke, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Chandler, Locke, and many others, suppose that the apostle means himself. Bloomfield says that it is the common opinion of" all the ancient commentators." But this seems to me a strange opinion. The obvious reference, it seems to me, is to God, who had furnished or imparted to them the remarkable influences of the Holy Spirit; and this had been done in connexion with the preaching of the gospel, and not by the observance of the law. If, however, it refers to Paul, it means that he had been made the agent or instrument in imparting to them those remarkable endowments, and that this had been done by one who had not enforced the necessity of obeying the law of Moses, but who had preached to them the simple gospel.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit - The apostle means himself: he had been the means of conveying the Holy Spirit to them, and by that Spirit he wrought miracles among them; and he did all this, not as a Jew, (for as such he had no power), but he did all as a believer in Christ. The word επιχορηγων, which we translate ministereth, is very emphatic, and signifies leading up the chorus, bringing up one after another, adding grace to grace, benefit to benefit; so that it appears that they had not only some, but many benefits; God, by means of his apostle, having greatly enriched them with various spiritual blessings.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 3:1-5

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…

Read the full comment on Galatians 3:1-5 →

Galatians 3:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHoThe [One]G3588

οὖνounthereforeG3767

ἐπιχορηγῶνepichorēgōnsupplyingG2023

ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771

τὸtotheG3588

πνεῦμαpneumaSpiritG4151

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐνεργῶνenergōnworkingG1754

δυνάμειςdunameismiraclesG1411

ἐνenamongG1722

ὑμῖν,huminyou,G4771

ἐξex[is it] out ofG1537

ἔργωνergōnworksG2041

νόμουnomouof the LawG3551

ἢēorG2228

ἐξexout ofG1537

ἀκοῆςakoēshearingG189

πίστεως;pisteōsof faith?G4102

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 3:5

Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Acts 14:9-10
The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Acts 19:11-12
And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
Acts 14:3
Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.
2 Corinthians 13:3
Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
1 Corinthians 1:4-5
I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
2 Corinthians 12:12
Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
2 Corinthians 10:4
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Romans 15:19
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
2 Corinthians 3:8
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

that.
2; 2Co 3:8
worketh.
Ac 14:3,9,10; 19:11,12; Ro 15:19; 1Co 1:4,5; 2Co 10:4; 12:12; 13:3
by the works.
2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Galatians 3:4
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
Galatians 3:5
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?
Galatians 3:6
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Read all of Galatians 3

Galatians 3:5 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Aquel, pues, que os daba el Espíritu, y obraba maravillas entre vosotros ¿ hacíalo por las obras de la ley, ó por el oir de la fe?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Celui donc qui vous fournit l’Esprit et qui opère des miracles au milieu de vous, le fait-il sur le principe des œuvres de loi, ou de l’ouïe de la foi?
German Elberfelder 1871	Der euch nun den Geist darreicht und Wunderwerke unter euch wirkt, ist es aus Gesetzeswerken oder aus der Kunde des Glaubens?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Qui ergo tribuit vobis Spiritum, et operatur virtutes in vobis: ex operibus legis, an ex auditu fidei?