Romans 16
Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe
16 I commend to you(A) our sister Phoebe, who is a servant[a] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord(C) in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.
Greeting to Roman Christians
3 Give my greetings to Prisca[b] and Aquila,(D) my coworkers in(E) Christ Jesus,(F) 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home.(G) Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert[c](H) to Christ from Asia.[d](I) 6 Greet Mary,[e] who has worked very hard for you.[f] 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews[g](J) and fellow prisoners.(K) They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles,[h] and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.(L) 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.[i] Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus,(M) chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.(N) 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(O) All the churches of Christ send you greetings.
Warning against Divisive People
17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned.(P) Avoid them,(Q) 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ(R) but their own appetites.[j](S) They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.(T)
Paul’s Gracious Conclusion
19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone.(U) Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.(V) 20 The God of peace(W) will soon crush Satan(X) under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(Y)
21 Timothy,(Z) my coworker, and Lucius,(AA) Jason,(AB) and Sosipater,(AC) my fellow countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter,(AD) greet you in the Lord.[k]
23 Gaius,(AE) who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus,(AF) the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.[l]
Glory to God
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you(AG) according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ,(AH) according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent(AI) for long ages(AJ) 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures,(AK) according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith(AL) among all the Gentiles— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever Amen.
Footnotes
- 16:1 Others interpret this term in a technical sense: deacon, or deaconess, or minister, or courier
- 16:3 Traditionally, Priscilla, as in Ac 18:2,18,26
- 16:5 Lit the firstfruits
- 16:5 Other mss read Achaia
- 16:6 Or Maria
- 16:6 Other mss read us
- 16:7 Or family members
- 16:7 Or They are noteworthy among the apostles
- 16:11 Or family member
- 16:18 Lit belly
- 16:22 Or letter in the Lord, greet you
- 16:23 Some mss include v. 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
- 16:25–27 Other mss have these vv. at the end of chap. 14 or 15.
Romans 16
Lexham English Bible
Many Personal Greetings
16 Now I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is also a servant[a] of the church in Cenchrea, 2 in order that you may welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever task she may have need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, even me myself.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, for which not only I am thankful, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; 5 also greet[b] the church in their house. Greet Epenetus my dear friend, who is the first convert[c] of Asia for Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard[d] for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,[e] my compatriots[f] and my fellow prisoners, who are well known to[g] the apostles, who were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion my compatriot.[h] Greet those of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, the laborers in the Lord. Greet Persis, the dear friend who has worked hard[i] in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, the chosen one in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Concluding Exhortations
17 Now I exhort you, brothers, to look out for those who cause dissensions and temptations contrary to the teaching which you learned, and stay away from them. 18 For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own stomach, and by smooth speech and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, and I want you to be wise toward what is good, but innocent toward what is evil. 20 And in a short time the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ[j] be with you.
Greetings from Paul’s Associates
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my compatriots.[k]
22 I, Tertius, the one who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus the brother.
Benediction
24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.[l]
Footnotes
- Romans 16:1 Or “a deaconess”; some interpreters understand this term to refer to a specific office (deacon/deaconess) which Phoebe held in the local church at Cenchrea
- Romans 16:5 The verb is supplied as an understood repetition from v. 3
- Romans 16:5 Literally “the first fruits”
- Romans 16:6 Literally “has labored much”
- Romans 16:7 Or “Junias,” the masculine form of the same name
- Romans 16:7 Or “relatives”
- Romans 16:7 Or “are outstanding among”
- Romans 16:11 Or “relative”
- Romans 16:12 Literally “has labored much”
- Romans 16:20 Some manuscripts omit “Christ”
- Romans 16:21 Or “relatives”
- Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts include vv. 25–27, “25 Now to the one who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for eternal ages, 26 but now has been revealed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known according to the command of the eternal God, resulting in obedience of faith to all the Gentiles, 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for eternity. Amen.”
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