Greetings and Love Expressed

16 I (A)recommend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a [a]servant of the church which is at (B)Cenchrea, that you (C)receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the [b](D)saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, [c]and of myself as well.

Greet (E)Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers (F)in (G)Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; also greet (H)the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the (I)first convert to Christ from [d](J)Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and [e]Junia, my (K)kinsfolk and my (L)fellow prisoners, who are outstanding in the view of the apostles, who also [f]were (M)in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker (N)in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved (O)in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my (P)kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet (Q)Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all (R)the [g]saints who are with them. 16 (S)Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and [h]hindrances (T)contrary to the teaching which you learned, and (U)turn away from them. 18 For such people are (V)slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of (W)their own [i]appetites; and by their (X)smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience (Y)has reached everyone; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but (Z)I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 (AA)The God of peace will soon crush (AB)Satan under your feet.

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

21 (AD)Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, and so do (AE)Lucius, (AF)Jason, and (AG)Sosipater, my (AH)kinsmen.

22 I, Tertius, who have (AI)written this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 (AJ)Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. (AK)Erastus, the city treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, the brother.[j]

25 (AL)Now to Him who is able to establish you (AM)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of (AN)the mystery which has been kept secret for (AO)long ages past, 26 but now has been disclosed, and through (AP)the Scriptures of the prophets, in accordance with the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to (AQ)obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, (AR)be the glory forever. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 Or deaconess
  2. Romans 16:2 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  3. Romans 16:2 Lit and of me, myself
  4. Romans 16:5 I.e., west coast province of Asia Minor
  5. Romans 16:7 Or possibly Junias (masc)
  6. Romans 16:7 Lit have become
  7. Romans 16:15 See note 1 v 2
  8. Romans 16:17 Lit occasions of stumbling
  9. Romans 16:18 Lit belly
  10. Romans 16:23 Late mss add as v 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Closing Remarks And Greetings:

I Commend Phoebe To You; Help Her

16 Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe[a]she being also a servant[b] of the church in Cenchrea[c] in order that you may receive her in the Lord worthily of the saints, and may stand-by[d] her in whatever matter she may be having-need of you. For she herself indeed became a benefactor[e] of many, and of me myself.

Greet My Friends

Greet Prisca and Aquila— my fellow-workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own neck for my life, to whom not only am I giving-thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles— and the church at their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the firstfruit of Asia for Christ. Greet Mary, who labored-at many things for you. Greet Andronicus and Junias[f], my kinsmen[g] and my fellow-captives[h], who are notable[i] among[j] the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow-worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved one in Christ. Greet the ones from the ones of [k] Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet the ones from the ones of Narcissus, the ones being in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena[l] and Tryphosa, the ones laboring in the Lord. Greet Persis[m] the beloved, who labored-at many things 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 with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

The Churches Here Greet You

All the churches[n] of Christ greet you.

Watch Out For False Teachers

17 Now I urge you, brothers, to be watching-out-for the ones producing the dissensions and the causes-of-falling contrary to the teaching which you learned, and be turning-away from them. 18 For such ones are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own stomach. And by smooth-talk and flattery[o] they deceive the hearts of the guileless[p] ones. 19 For your obedience reached to all, therefore I am rejoicing over you. But I want you to be wise with-reference-to[q] the good and innocent[r] with-reference-to the evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

My Companions Greet You

21 Timothy my fellow-worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, greet you— the one having written the letter in[s] the Lord. 23 Gaius, the host[t] of me and of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the steward[u] of the city, greets you, and so does Quartus, our brother. 24 [v]

To God Be The Glory

25 Now[w] to the One being able to establish[x] you in-accordance-with[y] my good-news and the proclamation of [z] Jesus Christ, [which is][aa] in-accordance-with the revelation of the mystery having been kept-silent for eternal times, 26 but now having been revealed and having been made-known to all the nations through the prophetic Scriptures according to the command of the eternal God for the obedience of faith[ab], 27 to the only wise God through Jesus Christ, to Whom[ac] be the glory forever, amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 16:1 She is probably the one carrying this letter.
  2. Romans 16:1 Or, deaconess.
  3. Romans 16:1 The eastern seaport of Corinth.
  4. Romans 16:2 Or, help, aid.
  5. Romans 16:2 Or, patron, protector, helper.
  6. Romans 16:7 This is a male name. Some manuscripts have it as a female name, Junia (perhaps as husband and wife, or brother and sister, as with Julia in v 15).
  7. Romans 16:7 That is, fellow Jews.
  8. Romans 16:7 Paul may mean they once shared an imprisonment with him; or, simply that they too were once jailed for Christ.
  9. Romans 16:7 Or, famous, distinguished.
  10. Romans 16:7 Paul may mean ‘as apostles’, in the wider sense of the word; or, ‘to the apostles’ (the twelve), their imprisonment having taken place in Judea where they were believers before Paul.
  11. Romans 16:10 Paul probably means the believers from the household-members of Aristobulus.
  12. Romans 16:12 The names of these women mean Delicate and Dainty.
  13. Romans 16:12 This is a woman.
  14. Romans 16:16 Perhaps Paul is referring to all the representatives with him in Act 20:4. This book was written from Corinth in Act 20:3.
  15. Romans 16:18 Or, false eloquence, good-sounding argument. Paul may mean their good speech about you (flattery); or their good-sounding but false speech regarding what they are teaching.
  16. Romans 16:18 Or, innocent, unsuspecting.
  17. Romans 16:19 Or, for the purpose of.
  18. Romans 16:19 Or, pure.
  19. Romans 16:22 This is the Greek word order. This may mean ‘greet you... in the Lord’; or, ‘written... in the Lord’. Tertius served as Paul’s secretary, writing down or copying this letter for him.
  20. Romans 16:23 Paul is apparently staying with Gaius in Corinth. This may be the Gaius of 1 Cor 1:14.
  21. Romans 16:23 Or, manager, administrator.
  22. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts say ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.’ here instead of in v 20b.
  23. Romans 16:25 This doxology (v 25-27) appears in different places in the manuscripts.
  24. Romans 16:25 Same word as in 1:11.
  25. Romans 16:25 Or, based on, in relation to.
  26. Romans 16:25 That is, about. This proclamation is given in its greatest detail in this book.
  27. Romans 16:25 That is, the good news and proclamation are in accordance with the revelation of the mystery.
  28. Romans 16:26 Same phrase as in 1:5.
  29. Romans 16:27 This could refer back to the only wise God or to Jesus Christ.