John Wesley

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead—

“Not of men - Not commissioned from them, but from God the Father. Neither by man - Neither by any man as an instrument, but by Jesus Christ.”

I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

“I marvel that ye are removed so soon - After my leaving you. From him who called you by the grace of Christ - His gracious gospel, and his gracious power.”

which is not even a gospel. Evidently some people are troubling you and trying to distort the gospel of Christ.

“Which, indeed, is not properly another gospel. For what ye have now received is no gospel at all; it is not glad, but heavy, tidings, as setting your acceptance with God upon terms impossible to be performed.”

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be under a curse!

“But if we - I and all the apostles. Or an angel from heaven - If it were possible. Preach another gospel, let him be accursed - Cut off from Christ and God.”

As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be under a curse!

“Have said before - Many times, in effect, if not in terms. So I say - All those brethren knew the truth of the gospel. St. Paul knew the Galatians had received the true gospel.”

Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?

“If I still - Since I was an apostle. Pleased men - Studied to please them; if this were my motive of action; nay, if I did in fact please the men who know not God.”

For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.

“But I certify you, brethren -- he does not till now give them even this appellation. That the gospel which was preached by me among you is not according to man - Not from man, not by man, not suited to the taste of man.”

I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

“For neither did I receive it - At once. Nor was I taught it - Slowly and gradually, by any man.”

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased

“Who separated me from my mother's womb - Set me apart for an apostle, as he did Jeremiah for a prophet. Such an unconditional predestination as this may consist, both with God's justice and mercy.”

But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

“But other of the apostles I saw none, save James the brother (that is, the kinsman) of the Lord - Therefore when Barnabas is said to have "brought him into the apostles," Acts ix, 27, only St. Peter and St James are meant.”

Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

“Then fourteen years after - My first journey thither. I went up again to Jerusalem - This seems to be the journey mentioned Acts xv, 2; several passages here referring to that great council, wherein all the apostles showed that they were of the same…”

I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.

“I went up - Not by any command from them, but by an express Revelation from God. And laid before them - The chief of the church in Jerusalem.”

Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

“But neither was Titus who was with me - When I conversed with them. Compelled to be circumcised - A clear proof that none of the apostles insisted on the circumcising gentile believers.”

We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

“To whom we did not yield by submission - Although in love he would have yielded to any. With such wonderful prudence did the apostle use his Christian liberty! circumcising Timothy, Acts xvi, 3, because of weak brethren, but not Titus, because of false brethren.”

But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—those leaders added nothing to me.

“And they who undoubtedly were something - Above all others. What they were - How eminent soever. It is no difference to me - So that I should alter either my doctrine or my practice.”

And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go…

“And Cephas - Speaking of him at Jerusalem he calls him by his Hebrew name. And John - Hence it appears that he also was at the council, though he is not particularly named in the Acts.”

They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

“Of the poor - The poor Christians in Judea, who had lost all they had for Christ's sake.”

The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

“And the other believing Jews - Who were at Antioch. Dissembled with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation - Was born away, as with a torrent, into the same ill practice.”

When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a…

“I said to Cephas before them all - See Paul single against Peter and all the Jews! If thou being a Jew, yet livest, in thy ordinary conversation, after the manner of the gentiles - Not observing the ceremonial law, which thou knowest to be…”

If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

“As if he had said, The objection were just, if the gospel promised justification to men continuing in sin.”

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

“The Apostle goes on to describe how he is freed from sin; how far he is from continuing therein. I am crucified with Christ - Made conformable to his death; "the body of sin is destroyed." Rom. vi, 6.”

I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.

“The grace of God - The free love of God in Christ Jesus. But they do, who seek justification by the law. For if righteousness is by the law - If men might be justified by their obedience to the law, moral or ceremonial.”

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

“O thoughtless Galatians - He breaks in upon them with a beautiful abruptness. Who hath bewitched you - Thus to contradict both your own reason and experience.”

I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

“This only would I learn of you - That is, this one argument might convince you. Did ye receive the witness and the fruit of the Spirit by performing the works of the law, or by hearing of and receiving faith?”

Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?

“Do you think to complete either your justification or sanctification, by giving up that faith, and depending on the law, which is a gross and carnal thing when opposed to the gospel?”