Webster Bible (1833) - with Strong’s numbers (EN)

1PaulG3972, an apostleG652, (notG3756 fromG575 menG444, neitherG3761 byG1223 manG444, butG235 byG1223 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, andG2532 GodG2316 the FatherG3962, whoG3588 raisedG1453 himG846 fromG1537 the deadG3498;) 2AndG2532 allG3956 the brethrenG80 who are withG4862 meG1698, to the churchesG1577 of GalatiaG1053: 3GraceG5485 be to youG5213 andG2532 peaceG1515 fromG575 GodG2316 the FatherG3962, andG2532 from ourG2257 LordG2962 JesusG2424 ChristG5547, 4WhoG3588 gaveG1325 himselfG1438 forG5228 ourG2257 sinsG266, thatG3704 he might deliverG1807 usG2248 fromG1537 this presentG1764 evilG4190 worldG165, accordingG2596 to the willG2307 of GodG2316 andG2532 ourG2257 FatherG3962: 5To whomG3739 be gloryG1391 forG1519 everG165 and everG165. AmenG281. 6I marvelG2296 thatG3754 ye areG3346 soG3779 soonG5030 turningG3346 fromG575 him that calledG2564 youG5209 intoG1722 the graceG5485 of ChristG5547 toG1519 anotherG2087 gospelG2098: 7WhichG3739 isG2076 notG3756 anotherG243; but there areG1526 someG5100 thatG1508 troubleG5015 youG5209, andG2532 wouldG2309 pervertG3344 the gospelG2098 of ChristG5547. 8ButG235 thoughG2532 G1437 weG2249, orG2228 an angelG32 fromG1537 heavenG3772, should preach any other gospelG2097 to youG5213 thanG3844 that whichG3739 we have preachedG2097 to youG5213, let him beG2077 accursedG331. 9AsG5613 we said beforeG4280, soG2532 I sayG3004 nowG737 againG3825, If anyG1536 man preachethG2097 any otherG3844 gospelG2097 to youG5209 thanG3844 thatG3739 ye have receivedG3880, let him beG2077 accursedG331. 10ForG1063 do IG3982 nowG737 seek the favour ofG3982 menG444, orG2228 GodG2316? orG2228 do I seekG2212 to pleaseG700 menG444? forG1063 ifG1487 IG700 yetG2089 pleasedG700 menG444, I shouldG302 notG3756 beG2252 the servantG1401 of ChristG5547. 11ButG1161 I make known toG1107 youG5213, brethrenG80, thatG3754 the gospelG2098 whichG3588 was preachedG2097 byG5259 meG1700 isG2076 notG3756 according toG2596 manG444. 12ForG1063 IG1473 neitherG3761 receivedG3880 itG846 fromG3844 manG444, neitherG3777 was I taughtG1321 it, butG235 byG1223 the revelationG602 of JesusG2424 ChristG5547. 13ForG1063 ye have heardG191 of myG1699 former manner of lifeG391 in time pastG4218 inG1722 the Jews’ religionG2454, thatG3754 beyondG2596 measureG5236 I persecutedG1377 the churchG1577 of GodG2316, andG2532 wastedG4199 itG846: 14AndG2532 profitedG4298 inG1722 the Jews’ religionG2454 aboveG5228 manyG4183 my equalsG4915 inG1722 my ownG3450 nationG1085, beingG5225 more exceedinglyG4056 zealousG2207 of the traditionsG3862 of myG3450 fathersG3967. 15ButG1161 whenG3753 it pleasedG2106 GodG2316, whoG3588 separatedG873 meG3165 fromG1537 myG3450 mother’sG3384 wombG2836, andG2532 calledG2564 me byG1223 hisG846 graceG5485, 16To revealG601 hisG846 SonG5207 inG1722 meG1698, thatG2443 I might preachG2097 himG846 amongG1722 the GentilesG1484; immediatelyG2112 I conferredG4323 notG3756 with fleshG4561 andG2532 bloodG129: 17NeitherG3761 did I goG424 toG1519 JerusalemG2414 toG4314 them who were apostlesG652 beforeG4253 meG1700; butG235 I wentG565 intoG1519 ArabiaG688, andG2532 returnedG5290 againG3825 toG1519 DamascusG1154. 18ThenG1899 afterG3326 threeG5140 yearsG2094 I wentG424 toG1519 JerusalemG2414 to seeG2477 PeterG4074, andG2532 abodeG1961 withG4314 himG846 fifteenG1178 daysG2250. 19ButG1161 IG1492 saw noG3756 otherG2087 of the apostlesG652, exceptG1508 JamesG2385 the Lord’sG2962 brotherG80. 20NowG1161 the things whichG3739 I writeG1125 to youG5213, beholdG2400, beforeG1799 GodG3754 G2316, I lieG5574 notG3756. 21AfterwardsG1899 I cameG2064 intoG1519 the regionsG2824 of SyriaG4947 andG2532 CiliciaG2791; 22AndG1161 wasG2252 unknownG50 by faceG4383 to the churchesG1577 of JudaeaG2449 whichG3588 were inG1722 ChristG5547: 23ButG1161 they hadG2258 heardG191 onlyG3440, ThatG3754 he who persecutedG1377 usG2248 in times pastG4218 nowG3568 preachethG2097 the faithG4102 whichG3739 onceG4218 he destroyedG4199. 24AndG2532 they glorifiedG1392 GodG2316 inG1722 meG1698.


Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary
 1   SUPERSCRIPTION. GREETINGS. THE CAUSE OF HIS WRITING IS THEIR SPEEDY FALLING AWAY FROM THE GOSPEL HE TAUGHT. DEFENSE OF HIS TEACHING: HIS APOSTOLIC CALL INDEPENDENT OF MAN. (Gal. 1:1-24)
apostle--in the earliest Epistles, the two to the Thessalonians, through humility, he uses no title of authority; but associates with him "Silvanus and Timotheus"; yet here, though "brethren" (Gal 1:2) are with him, he does not name them but puts his own name and apostleship prominent: evidently because his apostolic commission needs now to be vindicated against deniers of it.
of--Greek, "from." Expressing the origin from which his mission came, "not from men," but from Christ and the Father (understood) as the source. "By" expresses the immediate operating agent in the call. Not only was the call from God as its ultimate source, but by Christ and the Father as the immediate agent in calling him (Acts 22:15; Acts 26:16-Acts 26:18). The laying on of Ananias' hands (Acts 9:17) is no objection to this; for that was but a sign of the fact, not an assisting cause. So the Holy Ghost calls him specially (Acts 13:2-Acts 13:3); he was an apostle before this special mission.
man--singular; to mark the contrast to "Jesus Christ." The opposition between "Christ" and "man," and His name being put in closest connection with God the Father, imply His Godhead.
raised him from the dead--implying that, though he had not seen Him in His humiliation as the other apostles (which was made an objection against him), he had seen and been constituted an apostle by Him in His resurrection power (Matt 28:18; Rom 1:4-Rom 1:5). Compare as to the ascension, the consequence of the resurrection, and the cause of His giving "apostles," Eph 4:11. He rose again, too, for our justification (Rom 4:25); thus Paul prepares the way for the prominent subject of the Epistle, justification in Christ, not by the law.

 2   all the brethren--I am not alone in my doctrine; all my colleagues in the Gospel work, travelling with me (Acts 19:29, Gaius and Aristarchus at Ephesus: Acts 20:4, Sopater, Secundus, Timotheus, Tychicus, Trophimus, some, or all of these), join with me. Not that these were joint authors with Paul of the Epistle: but joined him in the sentiments and salutations. The phrase, "all the brethren," accords with a date when he had many travelling companions, he and they having to bear jointly the collection to Jerusalem [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].
the churches--Pessinus and Ancyra were the principal cities; but doubtless there were many other churches in Galatia (Acts 18:23; 1Cor 16:1). He does not attach any honorable title to the churches here, as elsewhere, being displeased at their Judaizing. See First Corinthians; First Thessalonians, &c. The first Epistle of Peter is addressed to Jewish Christians sojourning in Galatia (1Pet 1:1), among other places mentioned. It is interesting thus to find the apostle of the circumcision, as well as the apostle of the uncircumcision, once at issue (Gal 2:7-Gal 2:15), co-operating to build up the same churches.

 3   from . . . from--Omit the second "from." The Greek joins God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ in closet union, by there being but the one preposition.

 4   gave himself-- (Gal 2:20); unto death, as an offering. Found only in this and the Pastoral Epistles. The Greek is different in Eph 5:25 (see on Eph 5:25).
for our sins--which enslaved us to the present evil world.
deliver us from this--Greek, "out of the," &c. The Father and Son are each said to "deliver us," &c. (Col 1:13): but the Son, not the Father, gave Himself for us in order to do so, and make us citizens of a better world (Phil 3:20). The Galatians in desiring to return to legal bondage are, he implies, renouncing the deliverance which Christ wrought for us. This he more fully repeats in Gal 3:13. "Deliver" is the very word used by the Lord as to His deliverance of Paul himself (Acts 26:17): an undesigned coincidence between Paul and Luke.
world--Greek, "age"; system or course of the world, regarded from a religious point of view. The present age opposes the "glory" (Gal 1:5) of God, and is under the authority of the Evil One. The "ages of ages" (Greek, Gal 1:5) are opposed to "the present evil age."
according to the will of God and our Father--Greek, "of Him who is at once God [the sovereign Creator] and our Father" (John 6:38-John 6:39; John 10:18, end). Without merit of ours. His sovereignty as "GOD," and our filial relation to Him as "OUR FATHER," ought to keep us from blending our own legal notions (as the Galatians were doing) with His will and plan. This paves the way for his argument.

 5   be glory--rather, as Greek, "be the glory"; the glory which is peculiarly and exclusively His. Compare Note, see on Eph 3:21.

 6   Without the usual expressions of thanksgiving for their faith, &c., he vehemently plunges into his subject, zealous for "the glory" of God (Gal 1:5), which was being disparaged by the Galatians falling away from the pure Gospel of the "grace" of God.
I marvel--implying that he had hoped better things from them, whence his sorrowful surprise at their turning out so different from his expectations.
so soon--after my last visit; when I hoped and thought you were untainted by the Judaizing teachers. If this Epistle was written from Corinth, the interval would be a little more than three years, which would be "soon" to have fallen away, if they were apparently sound at the time of his visit. Gal 4:18, Gal 4:20 may imply that he saw no symptom of unsoundness then, such as he hears of in them now. But English Version is probably not correct there. See see on Gal 4:18; Gal 4:20; also see Introduction. If from Ephesus, the interval would be not more than one year. BIRKS holds the Epistle to have been written from Corinth after his FIRST visit to Galatia; for this agrees best with the "so soon" here: with Gal 4:18, "It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you." If they had persevered in the faith during three years of his first absence, and only turned aside after his second visit, they could not be charged justly with adhering to the truth only when he was present: for his first absence was longer than both his visits, and they would have obeyed longer in his "absence" than in his "presence." But if their decline had begun immediately after he left them, and before his return to them, the reproof will be just. But see on Gal 4:13.
removed--Translate, "are being removed," that is, ye are suffering yourselves so soon (whether from the time of my last visit, or from the time of the first temptation held out to you) [PARĆUS] to be removed by Jewish seducers. Thus he softens the censure by implying that the Galatians were tempted by seducers from without, with whom the chief guilt lay: and the present, "ye are being removed," implies that their seduction was only in process of being effected, not that it was actually effected. WAHL, ALFORD, and others take the Greek as middle voice. "ye are removing" or "passing over." "Shifting your ground" [CONYBEARE and HOWSON]. But thus the point of Paul's oblique reference to their misleaders is lost; and in Heb 7:12 the Greek is used passively, justifying its being taken so here. On the impulsiveness and fickleness of the Gauls (another form of Kel-t-s, the progenitors of the Erse, Gauls, Cymri, and Belgians), whence the Galatians sprang, see Introduction and CĆSAR [Commentaries on the Gallic War, 3.19].
from him that called you--God the Father (Gal 1:15; Gal 5:8; Rom 8:30; 1Cor 1:9; 1Thess 2:12; 1Thess 5:24).
into--rather, as Greek, "IN the grace of Christ," as the element in which, and the instrument by which, God calls us to salvation. Compare Note, see on 1Cor 7:15; Rom 5:15, "the gift by (Greek, 'in') grace (Greek, 'the grace') of (the) one man." "The grace of Christ," is Christ's gratuitously purchased and bestowed justification, reconciliation, and eternal life.
another--rather, as Greek, "a second and different gospel," that is, into a so-called gospel, different altogether from the only true Gospel.

 7   another--A distinct Greek word from that in Gal 1:6. Though I called it a gospel (Gal 1:6), it is not really so. There is really but one Gospel, and no other gospel.
but--Translate, "Only that there are some that trouble you," &c. (Gal 5:10, Gal 5:12). All I meant by the "different gospel" was nothing but a perversion by "some" of the one Gospel of Christ.
would pervert--Greek, "wish to pervert"; they could not really pervert the Gospel, though they could pervert Gospel professors (compare Gal 4:9, Gal 4:17, Gal 4:21; Gal 6:12-Gal 6:13; Col 2:18). Though acknowledging Christ, they insisted on circumcision and Jewish ordinances and professed to rest on the authority of other apostles, namely, Peter and James. But Paul recognizes no gospel, save the pure Gospel.

 8   But--however weighty they may seem "who trouble you." Translate as Greek, "Even though we," namely, I and the brethren with me, weighty and many as we are (Gal 1:1-Gal 1:2). The Greek implies a case supposed which never has occurred.
angel--in which light ye at first received me (compare Gal 4:14; 1Cor 13:1), and whose authority is the highest possible next to that of God and Christ. A new revelation, even though seemingly accredited by miracles, is not to be received if it contradict the already existing revelation. For God cannot contradict Himself (Deut 13:1-Deut 13:3; 1Kgs 13:18; Matt 24:24; 2Thess 2:9). The Judaizing teachers sheltered themselves under the names of the great apostles, James, John, and Peter: "Do not bring these names up to me, for even if an angel," &c. Not that he means, the apostles really supported the Judaizers: but he wishes to show, when the truth is in question, respect of persons is inadmissible [CHRYSOSTOM].
preach--that is, "should preach."
any other gospel . . . than--The Greek expresses not so much "any other gospel different from what we have preached," as, "any gospel BESIDE that which we preached." This distinctly opposes the traditions of the Church of Rome, which are at once besides and against (the Greek includes both ideas) the written Word, our only "attested rule."

 9   said before--when we were visiting you (so "before" means, 2Cor 13:2). Compare Gal 5:2-Gal 5:3, Gal 1:21. Translate, "If any man preacheth unto you any gospel BESIDE that which," &c. Observe the indicative, not the subjunctive or conditional mood, is used, "preacheth," literally, "furnisheth you with any gospel." The fact is assumed, not merely supposed as a contingency, as in Gal 1:8, "preach," or "should preach." This implies that he had already observed (namely, during his last visit) the machinations of the Judaizing teachers: but his surprise (Gal 1:6) now at the Galatians being misled by them, implies that they had not apparently been so then. As in Gal 1:8 he had said, "which we preached," so here, with an augmentation of the force, "which ye received"; acknowledging that they had truly accepted it.
accursed--The opposite appears in Gal 6:16.

 10   For--accounting for the strong language he has just used.
do I now--resuming the "now" of Gal 1:9. "Am I now persuading men?" [ALFORD], that is, conciliating. Is what I have just now said a sample of men-pleasing, of which I am accused? His adversaries accused him of being an interested flatterer of men, "becoming all things to all men," to make a party for himself, and so observing the law among the Jews (for instance, circumcising Timothy), yet persuading the Gentiles to renounce it (Gal 5:11) (in order to flatter those, really keeping them in a subordinate state, not admitted to the full privileges which the circumcised alone enjoyed). NEANDER explains the "now" thus: Once, when a Pharisee, I was actuated only by a regard to human authority and to please men (Luke 16:15; John 5:44), but NOW I teach as responsible to God alone (1Cor 4:3).
or God?--Regard is to be had to God alone.
for if I yet pleased men--The oldest manuscripts omit "for." "If I were still pleasing men," &c. (Luke 6:26; John 15:19; 1Thess 2:4; Jas 4:4; 1John 4:5). On "yet," compare Gal 5:11.
servant of Christ--and so pleasing Him in all things (Titus 2:9; Col 3:22).

 11   certify--I made known to you as to the Gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man, that is, not of, by, or from man (Gal 1:1, Gal 1:12). It is not according to man; not influenced by mere human considerations, as it would be, if it were of human origin.
brethren--He not till now calls them so.

 12   Translate, "For not even did I myself (any more than the other apostles) receive it from man, nor was I taught it (by man)." "Received it," implies the absence of labor in acquiring it. "Taught it," implies the labor of learning.
by the revelation of Jesus Christ--Translate, "by revelation of [that is, from] Jesus Christ." By His revealing it to me. Probably this took place during the three years, in part of which he sojourned in Arabia (Gal 1:17-Gal 1:18), in the vicinity of the scene of the giving of the law; a fit place for such a revelation of the Gospel of grace, which supersedes the ceremonial law (Gal 4:25). He, like other Pharisees who embraced Christianity, did not at first recognize its independence of the Mosaic law, but combined both together. Ananias, his first instructor, was universally esteemed for his legal piety and so was not likely to have taught him to sever Christianity from the law. This severance was partially recognized after the martyrdom of Stephen. But Paul received it by special revelation (1Cor 11:23; 1Cor 15:3; 1Thess 4:15). A vision of the Lord Jesus is mentioned (Acts 22:18), at his first visit to Jerusalem (Gal 1:18); but this seems to have been subsequent to the revelation here meant (compare Gal 1:15-Gal 1:18), and to have been confined to giving a particular command. The vision "fourteen years before" (2Cor 12:1) was in A.D. 43, still later, six years after his conversion. Thus Paul is an independent witness to the Gospel. Though he had received no instruction from the apostles, but from the Holy Ghost, yet when he met them his Gospel exactly agreed with theirs.

 13   heard--even before I came among you.
conversation--"my former way of life."
Jews' religion--The term, "Hebrew," expresses the language; "Jew," the nationality, as distinguished from the Gentiles; "Israelite," the highest title, the religious privileges, as a member of the theocracy.
the church--Here singular, marking its unity, though constituted of many particular churches, under the one Head, Christ.
of God--added to mark the greatness of his sinful alienation from God (1Cor 15:19).
wasted--laid it waste: the opposite of "building it up."

 14   profited--Greek, "I was becoming a proficient"; "I made progress."
above--beyond.
my equals--Greek, "Of mine own age, among my countrymen."
traditions of my fathers--namely, those of the Pharisees, Paul being "a Pharisee, and son of a Pharisee" (Acts 23:6; Acts 26:5). "MY fathers," shows that it is not to be understood generally of the traditions of the nation.

 15   separated--"set me apart": in the purposes of His electing love (compare Acts 9:15; Acts 22:14), in order to show in me His "pleasure," which is the farthest point that any can reach in inquiring the causes of his salvation. The actual "separating" or "setting apart" to the work marked out for him, is mentioned in Acts 13:2; Rom 1:1. There is an allusion, perhaps, in the way of contrast, to the derivation of Pharisee from Hebrew, "pharash," "separated." I was once a so-called Pharisee or Separatist, but God had separated me to something far better.
from . . . womb--Thus merit in me was out of the question, in assigning causes for His call from Acts 9:11. Grace is the sole cause (Ps 22:9; Ps 71:6; Isa 49:1, Isa 49:5; Jer 1:5; Luke 1:15).
called me--on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-Acts 9:8).

 16   reveal his Son in me--within me, in my inmost soul, by the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20). Compare 2Cor 4:6, "shined in our hearts." The revealing of His Son by me to the Gentiles (so translate for "heathen") was impossible, unless He had first revealed His Son in me; at first on my conversion, but especially at the subsequent revelation from Jesus Christ (Gal 1:12), whereby I learned the Gospel's independence of the Mosaic law.
that I might preach--the present in the Greek, which includes the idea "that I may preach Him," implying an office still continuing. This was the main commission entrusted to him (Gal 2:7, Gal 2:9).
immediately--connected chiefly with "I went into Arabia" (Gal 1:17). It denotes the sudden fitness of the apostle. So Acts 9:20, "Straightway he preached Christ in the synagogue."
I conferred not--Greek, "I had not further (namely, in addition to revelation) recourse to . . . for the purpose of consulting." The divine revelation was sufficient for me [BENGEL].
flesh and blood-- (Matt 16:17).

 17   went I up--Some of the oldest manuscripts read, "went away."
to Jerusalem--the seat of the apostles.
into Arabia--This journey (not recorded in Acts) was during the whole period of his stay at Damascus, called by Luke (Acts 9:23), "many [Greek, a considerable number of] days." It is curiously confirmatory of the legitimacy of taking "many days" to stand for "three years," that the same phrase exactly occurs in the same sense in 1Kgs 2:38-39. This was a country of the Gentiles; here doubtless he preached as he did before and after (Acts 9:20, Acts 9:22) at Damascus: thus he shows the independence of his apostolic commission. He also here had that comparative retirement needed, after the first fervor of his conversion, to prepare him for the great work before him. Compare Moses (Acts 7:29-Acts 7:30). His familiarity with the scene of the giving of the law, and the meditations and revelations which he had there, appear in Gal 4:24-Gal 4:25; Heb 12:18. See on Gal 1:12. The Lord from heaven communed with him, as He on earth in the days of His flesh communed with the other apostles.
returned--Greek "returned back again."

 18   after three years--dating from my conversion, as appears by the contrast to "immediately" (Gal 1:16). This is the same visit to Jerusalem as in Acts 9:26, and at this visit occurred the vision (Acts 22:17-Acts 22:18). The incident which led to his leaving Damascus (Acts 9:25; 2Cor 11:33) was not the main cause of his going to Jerusalem. So that there is no discrepancy in the statement here that he went "to see Peter"; or rather, as Greek, "to make the acquaintance of"; "to become personally acquainted with." The two oldest manuscripts read, "Cephas," the name given Peter elsewhere in the Epistle, the Hebrew name; as Peter is the Greek (John 1:42). Appropriate to the view of him here as the apostle especially of the Hebrews. It is remarkable that Peter himself, in his Epistles, uses the Greek name Peter, perhaps to mark his antagonism to the Judaizers who would cling to the Hebraic form. He was prominent among the apostles, though James, as bishop of Jerusalem, had the chief authority there (Matt 16:18).
abode--or "tarried" [ELLICOTT].
fifteen days--only fifteen days; contrasting with the long period of three years, during which, previously, he had exercised an independent commission in preaching: a fact proving on the face of it, how little he owed to Peter in regard to his apostolical authority or instruction. The Greek for "to see," at the same time implies visiting a person important to know, such as Peter was. The plots of the Jews prevented him staying longer (Acts 9:29). Also, the vision directing him to depart to the Gentiles, for that the people of Jerusalem would not receive his testimony (Acts 22:17-Acts 22:18).

 19   Compare Acts 9:27-Acts 9:28, wherein Luke, as an historian, describes more generally what Paul, the subject of the history, himself details more particularly. The history speaks of "apostles"; and Paul's mention of a second apostle, besides Peter, reconciles the Epistle and the history. At Stephen's martyrdom, and the consequent persecution, the other ten apostles, agreeably to Christ's directions, seem to have soon (though not immediately, Acts 8:14) left Jerusalem to preach elsewhere. James remained in charge of the mother church, as its bishop. Peter, the apostle of the circumcision, was present during Paul's fifteen days' stay; but he, too, presently after (Acts 9:32), went on a circuit through Judea.
James, the Lord's brother--This designation, to distinguish him from James the son of Zebedee, was appropriate while that apostle was alive. But before Paul's second visit to Jerusalem (Gal 2:1; Acts 15:1-Acts 15:4), he had been beheaded by Herod (Acts 12:2). Accordingly, in the subsequent mention of James here (Gal 2:9, Gal 2:12), he is not designated by this distinctive epithet: a minute, undesigned coincidence, and proof of genuineness. James was the Lord's brother, not in our strict sense, but in the sense, "cousin," or "kinsman" (Matt 28:10; John 20:17). His brethren are never called "sons of Joseph," which they would have been had they been the Lord's brothers strictly. However, compare Ps 69:8, "I am an alien to my mother's children." In John 7:3, John 7:5, the "brethren" who believed not in Him may mean His near relations, not including the two of His brethren, that is, relatives (James and Jude) who were among the Twelve apostles. Acts 1:14, "His brethren," refer to Simon and Joses, and others (Matt 13:55) of His kinsmen, who were not apostles. It is not likely there would be two pairs of brothers named alike, of such eminence as James and Jude; the likelihood is that the apostles James and Jude are also the writers of the Epistles, and the brethren of Jesus. James and Joses were sons of Alpheus and Mary, sister of the Virgin Mary.

 20   Solemn asseveration that his statement is true that his visit was but for fifteen days and that he saw no apostle save Peter and James. Probably it had been reported by Judaizers that he had received a long course of instruction from the apostles in Jerusalem from the first; hence his earnestness in asserting the contrary facts.

 21   I came into . . . Syria and Cilicia--"preaching the faith" (Gal 1:23), and so, no doubt, founding the churches in Syria and Cilicia, which he subsequently confirmed in the faith (Acts 15:23, Acts 15:41). He probably went first to Cćsarea, the main seaport, and thence by sea to Tarsus of Cilicia, his native place (Acts 9:30), and thence to Syria; Cilicia having its geographical affinities with Syria, rather than with Asia Minor, as the Tarsus mountains separate it from the latter. His placing "Syria" in the order of words before "Cilicia," is due to Antioch being a more important city than Tarsus, as also to his longer stay in the former city. Also "Syria and Cilicia," from their close geographical connection, became a generic geographical phrase, the more important district being placed first [CONYBEARE and HOWSON]. This sea journey accounts for his being "unknown by face to the churches of Judea" (Gal 1:22). He passes by in silence his second visit, with alms, to Judea and Jerusalem (Acts 11:30); doubtless because it was for a limited and special object, and would occupy but a few days (Acts 12:25), as there raged at Jerusalem at the time a persecution in which James, the brother of John, was martyred, and Peter was m prison, and James seems to have been the only apostle present (Acts 12:17); so it was needless to mention this visit, seeing that he could not at such a time have received the instructions which the Galatians alleged he had derived from the primary fountains of authority, the apostles.

 22   So far was I from being a disciple of the apostles, that I was even unknown in the churches of Judea (excepting Jerusalem, Acts 9:26-Acts 9:29), which were the chief scene of their labors.

 23   Translate as Greek, "They were hearing": tidings were brought them from time to time [CONYBEARE and HOWSON].
he which persecuted us in times past--"our former persecutor" [ALFORD]. The designation by which he was known among Christians still better than by his name "Saul."
destroyed--Greek, "was destroying."

 24   in me--"in my case." "Having understood the entire change, and that the former wolf is now acting the shepherd's part, they received occasion for joyful thanksgiving to God in respect to me" [THEODORET]. How different, he implies to the Galatians, their spirit from yours!