Galatia 3:2-3

3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law ¹  or by believing what you heard? ²  3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began ³  with ⁴  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ⁵  by human effort? ⁶ 

Galatia 3:5

3:5 Does God then give ⁷  you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law ⁸  or by your believing what you heard? ⁹ 

Galatia 3:14

3:14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, ¹⁰  so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

Galatia 3:21

3:21 Is the law therefore opposed to the promises of God? ¹¹  Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that was able to give life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. ¹² 

[3:2]  ¹ tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law,” a reference to observing the Mosaic law.

[3:2]  ² tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.”

[3:3]  ³ tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.

[3:3]  ⁴ tn Or “by the Spirit.”

[3:3]  ⁵ tn The verb ἐπιτελεῖσθε (epiteleisqe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534). This is something the Galatians were attempting to do, but could not accomplish successfully.

[3:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”

[3:5]  ⁷ tn Or “provide.”

[3:5]  ⁸ tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law” (the same phrase as in v. 2).

[3:5]  ⁹ tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith” (the same phrase as in v. 2).

[3:14]  ¹⁰ tn Or “so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”

[3:21]  ¹¹ tc The reading τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou, “of God”) is well attested in א A C D (F G read θεοῦ without the article) Ψ 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co. However, Ì⁴⁶ B d Ambst lack the words. Ì⁴⁶ and B perhaps should not to be given as much weight as they normally are, since the combination of these two witnesses often produces a secondary shorter reading against all others. In addition, one might expect that if the shorter reading were original other variants would have crept into the textual tradition early on. But 104 (a.d. 1087) virtually stands alone with the variant τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou Cristou, “of Christ”). Nevertheless, if τοῦ θεοῦ were not part of the original text, it is the kind of variant that would be expected to show up early and often, especially in light of Paul’s usage elsewhere (Rom 4:20; 2 Cor 1:20). A slight preference should be given to the τοῦ θεοῦ over the omission. NA²⁷ rightly places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

[3:21]  ¹² tn Or “have been based on the law.”