# Connecting Statement:

Paul reminds the believers in Galatia that God gave them God's Spirit when they believed the gospel by faith, not by their doing God's law.

# General Information:

Paul is rebuking the Galatians by asking rhetorical questions.

# Who has put a spell on you?

Paul is using irony and a rhetorical question to say that the Galatians are acting as though someone has put a spell on them. He does not really believe that someone has put a spell on them. AT: "You behave as if someone has put a spell on you!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-irony]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# put a spell on you

"done magic on you" or "done witchcraft on you"

# It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly displayed as crucified

Paul speaks of his clear teaching of Jesus being crucified as if he had put on public display a picture of Jesus being crucified. And he speaks of the Galatians having heard his teaching as if they had seen the picture. AT: "You yourselves heard the clear teaching about Jesus being crucified" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# This is the only thing I want to learn from you

This continues the irony from verse 1. Paul knows the answers to the rhetorical questions he is about to ask. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-irony]])

# Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by believing what you heard?

Translate this rhetorical question as a question if you can, because the reader will be expecting a question here. Also, be sure that the reader knows that the answer to the question is "by believing what you heard," not "by doing what the law says." AT: "You received the Spirit, not by doing what the law says, but by believing what you heard." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# Are you so foolish?

This rhetorical question shows that Paul is surprised and even angry that the Galatians are foolish. AT: "You are very foolish!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])

# by the flesh

The word "flesh" is a metonym for effort. AT: "by your own effort" or "by your own work" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/foolish]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/jesus]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/christ]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/crucify]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/receive]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/spirit]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/works]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/flesh]]