For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

For I have not spoken from myself, but the Father who sent me has himself given me commandment what I should say and what I should speak;

because I spake not from myself, but the Father who sent me, He did give me a command, what I may say, and what I may speak,

Because I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me, Himself gave me a command what to say and in what words to speak.

For I have not said it on my authority, but the Father who sent me gave me orders what to say and how to say it.

For I am not speaking from myself, but from the Father who sent me. He gave a commandment to me as to what I should say and how I should speak.

For I have not delivered it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent me, has himself given me his command as to what I should say, and what message I should deliver.

For I do not speak from myself. That the outward appearance of man may not lessen the majesty of God, Christ frequently sends us to the Father. This is the reason why he so often mentions the Father; and, indeed, since it would be unlawful to transfer to another a single spark of the Divine glory, the word, to which judgment is ascribed, must have proceeded from God. Now Christ here distinguishes himself from the Father, not simply as to his Divine Person, but rather as to his flesh; lest the doctrine should be judged after the manner of men, and, therefore, should have less weight. But if consciences were subject to the laws and doctrine of men, this argument of Christ would not apply, "My word (he says) will judge, because it has not proceeded from man;" according to that saying, There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, (James 4:12.) We may likewise infer from it, how monstrous, is the sacrilege of the Pope in daring to bind souls by his inventions; for in this way he claims more for himself than the Son of God does, who declares that he does not speak but by the commandment of his Father.

Of myself - John 7:16-18.

For I have not spoken of myself - I have not spoken for my secular interest: I have not aimed at making any gain of you: I have not set up myself as your teachers in general do, to be supported by my disciples, and to be credited on my own testimony. I have taught you, not the things of men, but the deep, everlasting truths of God. As his envoy, I came to you; and his truth only I proclaim.
Gave me a commandment - Or, commission. So I understand the original word, εντολη. Christ, as the Messiah, received his commission from God; what he should command - every thing that related to the formation and establishment of the Christian institution: and what he should speak - all his private conversations with his disciples or others, he, as man, commanded and spoke through the constant inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

For I have not spoken of myself,.... As man, or as separate from his Father; his doctrine was not human, but divine, and therefore a rejection of it cannot escape notice at the future judgment:
but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak; Christ, as man, had his mission, and commission, and his instructions from his Father to preach the Gospel unto men; he was anointed for it by the Holy Ghost; he was enjoined the preaching of it by his Father, and the several doctrines he published were delivered him by him; see John 8:28.