King James Bible
"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?"
Paul refers to God who actively supplies the Holy Spirit and performs supernatural works within the Galatian community. This present-tense language emphasizes ongoing divine activity, reminding readers of their direct experience of God's power since their conversion. This rhetorical question challenges whether God's miraculous provision came through adherence to Jewish ceremonial requirements. Paul confronts the Judaizers' claim that Gentiles must follow Mosaic law to fully participate in God's blessings. The alternative Paul presents is that God's Spirit and miracles came through believing the gospel message they heard. This phrase encapsulates Paul's central argument that faith, not law-keeping, is the means of receiving God's transformative power.