Romans 1:11

1:11 For I long to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift ¹  to strengthen you,

Galatians 3:2-5

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 ²  or by believing what you heard? ³  3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began ⁴  with ⁵  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ⁶  by human effort? ⁷  3:4 Have you suffered so many things for nothing? – if indeed it was for nothing. 3:5 Does God then give ⁸  you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law ⁹  or by your believing what you heard? ¹⁰ 

¹ sn Paul does not mean here that he is going to bestow upon the Roman believers what is commonly known as a “spiritual gift,” that is, a special enabling for service given to believers by the Holy Spirit. Instead, this is either a metonymy of cause for effect (Paul will use his own spiritual gifts to edify the Romans), or it simply means something akin to a blessing or benefit in the spiritual realm. It is possible that Paul uses this phrase to connote specifically the broader purpose of his letter, which is for the Romans to understand his gospel, but this seems less likely.

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

³ tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.”

⁴ tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.

⁵ tn Or “by the Spirit.”

⁶ 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.

⁷ tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”

⁸ tn Or “provide.”

⁹ tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law” (the same phrase as in v. 2).

¹⁰ tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith” (the same phrase as in v. 2).