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16 Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν [a]καὶ διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κεγχρεαῖς, ἵνα [b]αὐτὴν προσδέξησθε ἐν κυρίῳ ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ παραστῆτε αὐτῇ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ὑμῶν χρῄζῃ πράγματι, καὶ γὰρ αὐτὴ προστάτις πολλῶν ἐγενήθη καὶ [c]ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ.

Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, οἷς οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος εὐχαριστῶ ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ τὴν κατ’ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν. ἀσπάσασθε Ἐπαίνετον τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου, ὅς ἐστιν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς [d]Ἀσίας εἰς Χριστόν. ἀσπάσασθε [e]Μαριάμ, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς [f]ὑμᾶς. ἀσπάσασθε Ἀνδρόνικον καὶ [g]Ἰουνίαν τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου καὶ συναιχμαλώτους μου, οἵτινές εἰσιν ἐπίσημοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, οἳ καὶ πρὸ ἐμοῦ [h]γέγοναν ἐν Χριστῷ. ἀσπάσασθε [i]Ἀμπλιᾶτον τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου ἐν κυρίῳ. ἀσπάσασθε Οὐρβανὸν τὸν συνεργὸν ἡμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ καὶ Στάχυν τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου. 10 ἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ. ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἀριστοβούλου. 11 ἀσπάσασθε Ἡρῳδίωνα τὸν [j]συγγενῆ μου. ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ναρκίσσου τοὺς ὄντας ἐν κυρίῳ. 12 ἀσπάσασθε Τρύφαιναν καὶ Τρυφῶσαν τὰς κοπιώσας ἐν κυρίῳ. ἀσπάσασθε Περσίδα τὴν ἀγαπητήν, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν ἐν κυρίῳ. 13 ἀσπάσασθε Ῥοῦφον τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐμοῦ. 14 ἀσπάσασθε Ἀσύγκριτον, Φλέγοντα, [k]Ἑρμῆν, Πατροβᾶν, Ἑρμᾶν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφούς. 15 ἀσπάσασθε Φιλόλογον καὶ Ἰουλίαν, Νηρέα καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ὀλυμπᾶν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους. 16 Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι [l]πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

17 Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ [m]ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ’ αὐτῶν· 18 οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ κυρίῳ [n]ἡμῶν Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ, καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσι τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων. 19 ἡ γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο· [o]ἐφ’ ὑμῖν οὖν χαίρω, θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς [p]σοφοὺς εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀκεραίους δὲ εἰς τὸ κακόν. 20 ὁ δὲ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν Σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν ἐν τάχει. ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ [q]Χριστοῦ μεθ’ ὑμῶν.

21 [r]Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Τιμόθεος ὁ συνεργός μου, καὶ Λούκιος καὶ Ἰάσων καὶ Σωσίπατρος οἱ συγγενεῖς μου. 22 ἀσπάζομαι ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ Τέρτιος ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐν κυρίῳ. 23 ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Γάϊος ὁ ξένος μου καὶ [s]ὅλης τῆς ἐκκλησίας. ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἔραστος ὁ οἰκονόμος τῆς πόλεως καὶ Κούαρτος ὁ ἀδελφός.

24 [t]Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. [u]Ἀμήν.

Footnotes

  1. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:1 καὶ WH NIV ] – Treg RP
  2. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:2 αὐτὴν προσδέξησθε NIV RP ] προσδέξησθε αὐτὴν WH Treg
  3. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:2 ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ WH Treg NIV ] αὐτοῦ ἐμοῦ RP
  4. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:5 Ἀσίας WH Treg NIV ] Ἀχαΐας RP
  5. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:6 Μαριάμ RP ] Μαρίαν WH Treg NIV
  6. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:6 ὑμᾶς WH Treg NIV ] ἡμᾶς RP
  7. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:7 Ἰουνίαν WH Treg RP ] Ἰουνιᾶν NIV
  8. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:7 γέγοναν WH Treg NIV ] γεγόνασιν RP
  9. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:8 Ἀμπλιᾶτον WH NIV Treg ] Ἀμπλίαν RP
  10. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:11 συγγενῆ WH NIV RP ] συγγενῆν Treg
  11. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:14 Ἑρμῆν Πατροβᾶν Ἑρμᾶν WH Treg NIV ] Ἑρμᾶν Πατρόβαν Ἑρμῆν RP
  12. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:16 πᾶσαι WH Treg NIV ] – RP
  13. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:17 ἐκκλίνετε WH Treg NIV ] ἐκκλίνατε RP
  14. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:18 ἡμῶν WH Treg NIV ] + Ἰησοῦ RP
  15. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:19 ἐφ’ ὑμῖν οὖν χαίρω WH Treg NIV ] Χαίρω οὖν τὸ ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν RP
  16. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:19 σοφοὺς Treg NIV ] + μὲν WH RP
  17. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:20 Χριστοῦ Treg RP ] – WH NIV
  18. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:21 Ἀσπάζεται WH Treg NIV ] Ἀσπάζονται RP
  19. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:23 ὅλης τῆς ἐκκλησίας WH Treg NIV ] τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὅλης RP
  20. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:24 Ἡ χάρις … ὑμῶν RP ] – WH Treg NIV
  21. ΠΡΟΣ ΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣ 16:24 Ἀμήν RP ] 25 Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου, 26 φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν διά τε γραφῶν προφητικῶν κατ’ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου θεοῦ εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη γνωρισθέντος, 27 μόνῳ σοφῷ θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν. WH Treg NIV

Personal Greetings

16 I commend(A) to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) I ask you to receive her in the Lord(C) in a way worthy of his people(D) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila,(E) my co-workers(F) in Christ Jesus.(G) They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Greet also the church that meets at their house.(H)

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert(I) to Christ in the province of Asia.(J)

Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews(K) who have been in prison with me.(L) They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ(M) before I was.

Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ,(N) and my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.(O)

Greet those who belong to the household(P) of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.(Q)

Greet those in the household(R) of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus,(S) chosen(T) in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.

15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people(U) who are with them.(V)

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W)

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.(X) Keep away from them.(Y) 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,(Z) but their own appetites.(AA) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive(AB) the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard(AC) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.(AD)

20 The God of peace(AE) will soon crush(AF) Satan(AG) under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(AH)

21 Timothy,(AI) my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius,(AJ) Jason(AK) and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.(AL)

22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius,(AM) whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus,(AN) who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. [24] [e]

25 Now to him who is able(AO) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,(AP) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery(AQ) hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings(AR) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[f] faith(AS) 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.(AT)

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 Or servant
  2. Romans 16:1 The word deacon refers here to a Christian designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
  3. Romans 16:3 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  4. Romans 16:7 Or are esteemed by
  5. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts include here May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.
  6. Romans 16:26 Or that is

Personal Greetings

16 I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who serves the church at Cenchreae. Receive her in the Lord's name, as God's people should, and give her any help she may need from you; for she herself has been a good friend to many people and also to me.

(A)I send greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in the service of Christ Jesus; they risked their lives for me. I am grateful to them—not only I, but all the Gentile churches as well. Greetings also to the church that meets in their house.

Greetings to my dear friend Epaenetus, who was the first in the province of Asia to believe in Christ. Greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for you. Greetings also to Andronicus and Junia,[a] fellow Jews who were in prison with me; they are well known among the apostles, and they became Christians before I did.

My greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in the fellowship of the Lord. Greetings also to Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ's service, and to Stachys, my dear friend. 10 Greetings to Apelles, whose loyalty to Christ has been proved. Greetings to those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greetings to Herodion, a fellow Jew, and to the Christians in the family of Narcissus.

12 My greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work in the Lord's service, and to my dear friend Persis, who has done so much work for the Lord. 13 (B)I send greetings to Rufus, that outstanding worker in the Lord's service, and to his mother, who has always treated me like a son. 14 My greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and all the other Christians with them. 15 Greetings to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, to Olympas and to all of God's people who are with them.

16 Greet one another with the kiss of peace. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

Final Instructions

17 I urge you, my friends: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people's faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them! 18 For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people. 19 Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel, and for this reason I am happy about you. I want you to be wise about what is good, but innocent in what is evil. 20 And God, our source of peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.[b]

21 (C)Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings; and so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, fellow Jews.

22 I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, send you Christian greetings.

23 (D)My host Gaius, in whose house the church meets, sends you his greetings; Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. 24 [c]

Concluding Prayer of Praise

25 Let us give glory to God! He is able to make you stand firm in your faith, according to the Good News I preach about Jesus Christ and according to the revelation of the secret truth which was hidden for long ages in the past. 26 Now, however, that truth has been brought out into the open through the writings of the prophets; and by the command of the eternal God it is made known to all nations, so that all may believe and obey.

27 To the only God, who alone is all-wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever! Amen.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:7 Junia; or Junias; some manuscripts have Julia.
  2. Romans 16:20 Some manuscripts omit this sentence.
  3. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts add verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen; others add this after verse 27.
  4. Romans 16:27 Some manuscripts have verses 25-27 here and after 14.23; others have them only after 14.23; one has them after 15.33.

Personal greetings and messages

16 1-2 I want this letter to introduce to you Phoebe, our sister, a deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea. Please give her a Christian welcome, and any assistance with her work that she may need. She has herself been of great assistance to many, not excluding myself.

3-5 Shake hands for me with Priscilla and Aquila. They have not only worked with me for Christ, but they have faced death for my sake, Not only I, but all the Gentile churches, owe them a great debt. Give my love to the little church that meets in their house.

6-7 Shake the hand of dear Epaenetus, Achaia’s first man to be won for Christ, and of course greet Mary who has worked so hard for you. A handshake too for Andronicus and Junias my kinsmen and fellow-prisoners; they are outstanding men among the messengers and were Christians before I was.

8-9 Another warm greeting for Amplias, dear Christian that he is, and also for Urbanus, who has worked with me, and dear old Stachys, too.

10-12 More greeting from me, please, to Apelles, the man who has proved his faith, the household of Aristobulus, Herodion, my kinsman, Narcissus’ household, who are Christians. Remember me to Tryphena and Tryphosa, who work so hard for the Lord, and to my dear Persis who has also done great work for him.

13-15 Shake the hand of Rufus for me—that splendid Christian and greet his mother, who has been a mother to me too. Greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and their Christian group: also to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and the Christians who are with them.

16 Give each other a hearty handshake all round for my sake. The greetings of all the churches I am in touch with come to you with this letter.

A final warning

17-18 And now I implore you, my brother, to keep a watchful eye on those who cause trouble and make difficulties among you, in plain opposition to the teaching you have been given, and steer clear of them. Such men do not really serve our Lord Jesus Christ at all but are utterly self-centred. Yet with their plausible and attractive arguments they deceive those who are too simple-hearted to see through them.

19-20 Your loyalty to the principles of the Gospel is known everywhere, and that gives me great joy. I want to see you experts in good, and not even beginners in evil. It will not be long before the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21-24 Timothy, who works with me, sends his greetings, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater my fellow-countrymen. (Paul has just told me that I, Tertius, who have been taking down this epistle from his dictation, may send you my Christian greetings too.) Gaius, my host (and the host as a matter of fact of the whole church here), sends you his greetings. Erastus, our town clerk, and Quartus, another Christian brother, send greetings too.

25-27 Now to him who is able to set you on your feet as his own sons—according to my Gospel, according to the preaching of Jesus Christ himself, and in accordance with the disclosing of that secret purpose which, after long ages of silence, has now been made known (in full agreement with the writings of the prophets long ago), by the command of the everlasting God to all the Gentiles, that they might turn to him in the obedience of faith—to him, I say, the only God who is wise, be glory for ever through Jesus Christ!

PAUL

Before Paul treks west to Rome, he must complete an important mission he started years earlier. He must carry to Jerusalem an offering for the poor collected from the outsider churches. Paul, the emissary, hopes not only that the offering will alleviate the human need and suffering brought on by years of famine, but that it will also build a bridge between his mainly non-Jewish churches and the Jewish mother church in Jerusalem. But when he arrives in Jerusalem, Paul’s enemies trump up charges against him that ultimately land him in jail. So Paul makes it to Rome, but not as he planned. Several years later, after a lengthy confinement in Caesarea and a perilous journey at sea, he is led into Rome as a prisoner of the empire.

16 I commend to you our beloved sister Phoebe; she serves the church in Cenchrea as a faithful deacon. It is important that you welcome her in the Lord in a manner befitting your saintly status. Join in her work, and assist her in any way she needs you. She has spent her energy and resources helping others, and I am blessed to have her as my benefactor as well.

Give my best to Prisca and Aquila; they are not only my colleagues in my profession of tent making, but more importantly they are my fellow servants of Jesus the Anointed. They put their lives on the line to keep me safe. Not only do I owe them my thanks, so do all the churches of the non-Jews. Send my regards to the church that meets in their house.

Send greetings to Epaenetus. I love him dearly and celebrate his journey to faith because he was the first to believe in the Anointed One in all of Asia.

Salute Mary for me; she has worked hard for all of you.

Give my regards to Andronicus and Junias, who are part of my own family and served time in prison with me. They are well known among the emissaries[a] and have been in the Anointed longer than I.

Give my best to Ampliatus whom I love in the Lord, and greet Urbanus (our fellow worker in service to the Anointed One) and my beloved Stachys.

10 Send greetings to Apelles, a tried and true believer in the Anointed, and to the entire family of Aristobulus.

11 Do not forget to greet Herodion, another of my relatives, and everyone in the family of Narcissus who belong to the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, faithful laborers in the Lord, and our beloved Persis, who also has accomplished a great deal in the Lord.

13 Give my best to Rufus, clearly one of the Lord’s chosen, and also his mother. She’s like a mother to me.

14 My regards also go to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and all the brothers and sisters who are along with them.

15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and let me not forget Olympas and all the saints who journey with them.

16 Greet each other with a holy kiss. All of the churches of the Anointed under my care send their greetings to all of you.

17 I am pleading with all of you, brothers and sisters, to keep up your guard against anyone who is causing conflicts and enticing others with teachings contrary to what you have already learned. If there are people like that in your churches, stay away from them. 18 These kinds of people are not truly serving our Lord Jesus the Anointed; they have devoted their lives to satisfying their own appetites. With smooth talking and a well-rehearsed blessing, they lead a lot of unsuspecting people down the wrong path. 19 The stories about the way you are living in obedience to God have traveled to all the churches. So celebrate your faithfulness to God that is being displayed in your lives—seek wisdom about the good life, and remain innocent when it comes to evil. 20 If you do this, the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet soon. May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, be ever present with you.

21 Timothy, my coworker in the spreading of the gospel, also sends his greeting to all of you, as do my kinsmen, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater.

22 I, Tertius, the one who wrote this letter for Paul, greet you in the name of the Lord. 23 Gaius, my host here as well as patron for the whole church, sends his[b] best to all of you. Erastus, the city administrator, sends his greetings along with brother Quartus. [24 May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, touch you all. Amen.][c]

25 So to the One who is able to strengthen you to live consistently with my good news and the preaching of Jesus, the Anointed, with the revelation of the ancient mystery that has been kept secret since the earliest days, 26 this mystery is revealed through the prophetic voices passed down in the Scriptures, as they have been commanded by the Eternal God. In this time, this mystery is being made known to the nations so that all may be led to faith-filled obedience.

27 To the one true and wise God, we offer glory for all times through Jesus, the Anointed One. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 16:7 Literally, apostles
  2. 16:23 Some early manuscripts read “their.”
  3. 16:24 Some early manuscripts omit this verse.