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Romans 16

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Commendation of Phoebe, Letter Bearer 1–2

1
I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church that is at Cenchreæ: ​
2
that ye receive her in the Lord, worthily of the saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever matter she may have need of you: for she herself also hath been a helper of many, and of mine own self. ​

Greetings to Roman Believers 3–16

3
Salute Prisca and Aquila my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, ​
4
who for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles: ​
5
and salute the church that is in their house. Salute Epænetus my beloved, who is the firstfruits of Asia unto Christ. ​
6
Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you. ​
7
Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also have been in Christ before me. ​
8
Salute Ampliatus my beloved in the Lord.
9
Salute Urbanus our fellow-worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
10
Salute Apelles the approved in Christ. Salute them that are of the household of Aristobulus.
11
Salute Herodion my kinsman. Salute them of the household of Narcissus, that are in the Lord.
12
Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Salute Persis the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
13
Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ​
14
Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren that are with them.
15
Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints that are with them.
16
Salute one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ salute you. ​

Warnings Against Division and False Teaching 17–20

17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. ​
18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent. ​
19
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.
20
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. ​

Greetings from Paul’s Companions 21–24

21
Timothy my fellow-worker saluteth you; and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. ​
22
I Tertius, who write the epistle, salute you in the Lord. ​
23
Gaius my host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you, and Quartus the brother. ​
24
Not present in the manuscripts this translation follows.

Concluding Doxology 25–27

25
Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, ​
26
but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: ​
27
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for Romans 16

Verse 1

a servant of the church — Diakonos, the word the KJV renders 'deacons' in Phil 1:1 and 1 Tim 3:8, 12, and 'ministers' of Paul and Apollos in 1 Cor 3:5. Cenchrea is where Paul 'shorn his head' for a vow (Acts 18:18). 'Commend' (sunistemi) is the verb of letters of introduction (2 Cor 3:1): Rome is asked to receive her.

Verse 2

a succourer of many — Prostatis, a patroness, one who stands before others to help; it occurs only here in the New Testament. 'Assist' (paristemi) is the matching word, to stand beside: Rome is to stand by her as she has stood by many. 'Receive her in the Lord' is the phrase of Phil 2:29, 'Receive him therefore in the Lord'.

Verse 3

my helpers in Christ Jesus — Sunergoi, fellow-workers, as Urbane (v.9) and Timotheus (v.21). Priscilla is named first, as in Acts 18:18 and 2 Tim 4:19. They left Rome when 'Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart' (Acts 18:2), met Paul in Corinth, and kept 'the church that is in their house' (1 Cor 16:19; Rom 16:5).

Verse 4

laid down their own necks — Hupotithemi, to put under, found elsewhere only in 1 Tim 4:6; here the thing put at risk is their own necks, 'for my life'. The text does not name the occasion. Their work is known beyond Rome: thanks come from 'all the churches of the Gentiles', as well as from Paul.

Verse 5

the firstfruits of Achaia — Aparche, the first sheaf, which Israel 'bring unto the priest' at harvest (Lev 23:10); Epaenetus is the first of the harvest in Achaia. The household of Stephanas bears the same title in 1 Cor 16:15. 'The church that is in their house' also appears for Nymphas (Col 4:15) and Philemon (Phlm 1:2).

Verse 6

bestowed much labour on us — Kopiao, to toil to weariness; Paul uses it of his own work in 1 Cor 15:10, 'I laboured more abundantly than they all'. In this chapter it marks four women: Mary here, and Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis in v.12, 'who labour in the Lord'.

Verse 7

of note among the apostles — Episemos, notable; elsewhere only of Barabbas, 'a notable prisoner' (Matt 27:16). 'Apostles' is wider than the Twelve (Acts 14:14: 'the apostles, Barnabas and Paul'), and the phrase is read both ways, as 'esteemed by the apostles' and as 'apostles of note'. 'Fellowprisoners' is also said of Aristarchus (Col 4:10) and Epaphras (Phlm 1:23).

Verse 13

Rufus chosen in the Lord — Eklektos, elect, which Paul says of all believers in Col 3:12, 'the elect of God', and here of Rufus by name. Mark names 'Alexander and Rufus' as sons of Simon the Cyrenian who bore the cross (Mark 15:21), as if known to its readers; the text does not say this is the same Rufus. Older women are to be treated 'as mothers' (1 Tim 5:2).

Verse 16

an holy kiss — Philema hagion, the greeting commanded also in 1 Cor 16:20, 2 Cor 13:12 and 1 Thess 5:26, and called 'a kiss of charity' in 1 Pet 5:14. 'Holy' sets it apart as the greeting of believers, 'one another'. 'The churches of Christ salute you' adds the churches' greeting to the personal greetings of the chapter.

Verse 17

mark them which cause divisions — Skopeo, to watch closely (the root of 'scope'), as in 'mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample' (Phil 3:17). 'Divisions' is dichostasia, found also in 1 Cor 3:3 and Gal 5:20, and 'avoid' is ekklino, to turn aside, from the same verb as 'gone out of the way' (Rom 3:12).

Verse 18

their own belly — Paul says of such men elsewhere, 'whose God is their belly' (Phil 3:19). 'Good words' (chrestologia) occurs only here, and 'fair speeches' (eulogia) is the word usually rendered 'blessing' (1 Cor 10:16). 'The simple' is akakos, without evil, used elsewhere only of Christ as 'harmless' (Heb 7:26).

Verse 20

shall bruise Satan under your feet — Suntribo, to crush completely, to shatter. The promise reaches back to Gen 3:15, where the woman's seed 'shall bruise' the serpent's head, and to Luke 10:19, 'power to tread on serpents and scorpions'. 'Shortly' is en tachei, quickly. The 'God of peace' is set against the makers of divisions in v.17.

Verse 21

Timotheus my workfellow — Sunergos, as in v.3. Timotheus accompanies Paul into Asia in Acts 20:4. 'Kinsmen' (sungenes) is the word of vv.7 and 11, and of Israelites in Rom 9:3. A Jason received Paul at Thessalonica (Acts 17:5–7), and a Sopater of Berea travels with him (Acts 20:4).

Verse 22

I Tertius, who wrote this epistle — Tertius, Latin for 'third', was Paul's scribe, writing the words of the letter; he adds his own greeting 'in the Lord'. Paul usually closed with his own hand: 'The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle' (2 Thess 3:17).

Verse 23

Erastus the chamberlain of the city — Oikonomos, a steward or manager of a household's affairs; here of a city's, and elsewhere of Christ's ministers (1 Cor 4:1). An Erastus ministered to Paul (Acts 19:22) and 'abode at Corinth' (2 Tim 4:20). Gaius is 'mine host' (xenos) of Paul and the whole church; Paul baptized a Gaius at Corinth (1 Cor 1:14). Quartus is Latin for 'fourth'.

Verse 25

to stablish you — Sterizo, to make firm; Paul uses it in Rom 1:11, 'to the end ye may be established', and the letter closes on the same verb. 'The mystery, which was kept secret' (sigao, to keep silent) is the one 'hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest' (Col 1:26); 'my gospel' is the phrase of Rom 2:16.

Verse 26

the obedience of faith — The phrase is that of Rom 1:5, 'obedience to the faith among all nations', and brings the letter back to its opening, as 'the scriptures of the prophets' recalls 1:2. 'Everlasting' (aionios) is the word of 'since the world began' in v.25. 'Made manifest' and 'made known' are two verbs for one disclosure.