Romans Chapter 16

From The Open Bible Project

16:1 I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a [73] servant [See Romans Footnotes 73] of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,

• (1) Having made an end of the whole discussion, he comes now to familiar commendations and salutations, and that to good consideration and purpose, that is, that the Romans might know who are most to be honoured and to be considered among them: and also whom they ought to set before them to follow: and therefore he attributes to every of them individual and singular testimonies.

16:2 that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.

• (a) For Christ’s sake, which appropriately belongs to the Christians, for the heathen philosophers have a resemblance of the same virtues.

16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

16:4 who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.

16:5 Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.

• (b) The company of the faithful, for in so great a city as that was, there were different companies.
• (c) For he was the first of Achaia that believed in Christ: and this type of speech is an allusion to the ceremonies of the law.

16:6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.

16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

• (d) Ingrafted by faith.

16:8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.

16:9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.

16:10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.

16:11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.

16:12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.

16:13 Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the [74] brothers [See Romans Footnotes 74] who are with them.

16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.

• (e) He calls that a holy kiss which proceeds from a heart that is full of that holy love: now this is to be understood as referring to the manner used in those days.

16:17 Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.

• (2) As by describing by name those who were worthy of commendation he sufficiently declared whom they ought to hear and follow, so does he now point out to them whom they ought to take heed of, yet he does not name them, because it was not necessary.
• (f) Watchfully and diligently, as though you should scout for your enemies in a watch tower.

16:18 For those who are such don't serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.

• (g) The word which he uses signifies a promising which accomplishes nothing, and if you hear any such, you may assure yourself that he who promises to you is more concerned about receiving from you than he is concerned about giving to you.

16:19 For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.

• (3) Simplicity must be joined with wisdom.
• (h) Furnished with the knowledge of the truth and wisdom, so that you may embrace good things, and avoid evil, beware of the deceits and snares of false prophets, and resist them openly: and this place plainly destroys the papists faith of credit, whereas they maintain it to be sufficient for one man to believe as another man believes, without further knowledge or examination what the matter is, or what ground it has: using these daily speeches, "We believe as our fathers believed, and we believe as the Church believes."
• (i) As men that know no way to deceive, much less deceive indeed.

16:20 And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

• (4) We must fight with a certain hope of victory.

16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.

• (5) He adds salutations, partly to renew mutual friendship, and partly to the end that this epistle might be of some weight with the Romans, having the confirmation of so many that subscribed to it.

16:22 I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.

• (k) Wrote it as Paul uttered it.

16:23 Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.

16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen.

• (6) Now taking his leave of them this third time, he wishes that to them, upon which all the force of the former doctrine depends.

16:25 [75] 7 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the l mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

• (7) He sets forth the power and wisdom of God with great thanksgiving, which especially appears in the gospel, and makes mention also of the calling of the Gentiles, to confirm the Romans in the hope of this salvation.
• (l) That secret and hidden thing, that is to say, the calling of the Gentiles.

16:26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, m made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

• (m) Offered and exhibited to all nations to be known.

16:27 To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever, Amen.