King James Bible
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
Paul uses rhetorical restraint, focusing on one decisive question to expose the Galatians' theological error. His tone suggests frustration with their drift toward legalism, as this single point should settle the entire debate about justification. Paul references their initial reception of the Holy Spirit, a verifiable past experience that occurred apart from Torah observance. The phrase challenges the Judaizers' claim that Gentiles must follow Jewish law to be fully accepted by God. The contrast highlights that the Spirit came through believing the gospel message, not through ritual performance. This appeal to their own spiritual experience forms an irrefutable argument that faith, not law-keeping, is the means of receiving God's promises.