Galatians 3:3

King James Version (KJV)

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Translations

Galatians 3:3 - Amplified Bible

Are you so foolish {and} so senseless {and} so silly? Having begun [your new life spiritually] with the [Holy] Spirit, are you now reaching perfection [by dependence] on the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - American Standard Version

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - Bible in Basic English

Are you so foolish? having made a start in the Spirit, will you now be made complete in the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - Darby Bible

Are ye so senseless? having begun in Spirit, are ye going to be made perfect in flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - English Standard Version

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - King James Version

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - La Biblia de las Americas

¿Tan insensatos sois? Habiendo comenzado por el Espìritu, ¿vais a terminar ahora por la carne?

Galatians 3:3 - The Message

Galatians 3:3 - New American Standard Bible

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - Nueva Biblia Latinoamericana de Hoy

¿Tan insensatos son? Habiendo comenzado por el Espìritu, ¿van a terminar ahora por la carne?

Galatians 3:3 - World English Bible

Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?

Galatians 3:3 - Young's Living Translation

so thoughtless are ye! having begun in the Spirit, now in the flesh do ye end?

Galatians 3:3 - Additional Comments

Verse 2 reminded them of how they began the Christian life, and now verse 3 shows them how to keep going the same way they began. The question is asked are they being made perfect by what they do; the clear answer is it can't be done. If you try it you will make shipwreck of the Christian life (Rom. 8:13).
We need to be very clear about what the Galatians were about to do here so we can avoid it like the plague.
Notice in verse 2 is compared beginning via works vs. faith. And here in verse 3, it compares successfully walking in righteousness by the your own effort or by the work of the Spirit. We cannot be righteous, or do what God wants, without the power of the Spirit working in us. Flesh is the self that does not and cannot submit to God's authority. We see the irreligious works of the flesh in Gal 5:19-21, but in its religious form the subtlety of insubordination and self-determination can manifest itself in a philosophy of Christian growth which encourages people who begin with faith to grow by works.
We did not nullify the grace of God when we became a Christian by the work of the Spirit, we must go on relying on the Spirit instead of our works. It is not within our power to save us, and it is not within our power to perform works of righteousness.
One modern form of the heresy is: "God helps those who help themselves." If you buy into that as a way of advancing in the Christian life you have put works where faith belongs. Faith is the only response to God's word which makes room for the Spirit to work in us and through us. Flesh can produce a very rigorous morality, but it nullifies grace and removes the stumbling block of the cross.
The essential mark of a Christian is not how far you have progressed in sanctification, but on what you are relying to get there.

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