What a vast deal lies hidden behind these brief names! How many experiences, how much endurance, how much brotherhood! (p213)
Romans 16:1
Συνίστημι δὲ ὑμῖν Φοίβην, τὴν ἀδελφὴν ἡμῶν, οὖσαν καὶ διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Κενχρεαῖς,
Now I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, being even a deacon of the church of Cenchrea.
Paraphrase: Well it’s time to bring this letter to a close. Currently, I am staying at Gaius’ house in Cenchrea (Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14); I’m very thankful for his kind hospitality. When Phoebe arrives with this letter, be sure to accept it from her with full assurance that it comes from me. I commend her to you; she is a lovely disciple of Christ and a deaconess here at the church.
Comments:
How could Paul write so many personal greetings to a church which he had never visited? See the footnote on p279.
For deaconess, see here. Pliny captured two of these and tried to learn more about their religion (p11). He discovered nothing alarming except that they were excessively superstitious.
Hort (p207): These last words shew pretty plainly that Phœbe was a lady of wealth, or position. She had been a προστάτις of many, including St Paul. It is most unlikely that St Paul would have applied to her a word suggestive of the kind of help and encouragement given by wealthy benevolent people to dependents or helpless strangers if she had been only a humble member of the community, who shewed kindness to other Christians no more favourably placed. We may safely conclude that what Stephanas had done at Corinth she had done at Cenchreæ, its seaport on the east, nine miles off. But if this was her position, it is certainly possible, but hardly likely, that διάκονον τῆς ἐκκλησίας etc. means “a deaconess of the Ecclesia that is at Cenchreæ.” The καὶ before διάκονον, which is almost certainly genuine, points likewise to this term as conveying not a mere fact about Phœbe but a second ground of commendation parallel to her being one whom St Paul admitted to the distinction of being called his sister (as he spoke of Timothy and others as ὁ ἀδελφός). Hence we may naturally take it in the ordinary, not the later technical sense, as one who ministered to the Ecclesia at Cenchreæ, the nature of the ministration being described in the next verse. To call her a διάκονον meant thus what was meant by saying that the house of Stephanas laid themselves out εἰς διακονίαν. One passage more, from a later writer, remains. The Hebrews are assured (Heb. 6:10) that “God will not forget their work and the love which they shewed, looking unto His name, in that they had ministered to the saints, and still did minister.”
Gill (p141): …she was a deaconess appointed by the church, to take care of the poor sisters of the church; though as they were usually poor, and ancient women; that were put into that service, and this woman, according to the account of her, being neither poor, nor very ancient; it seems rather, that being a rich and generous woman, she served or ministered to the church by relieving the poor; not out of the church’s stock, as deaconesses did, but out of her own substance; and received the ministers of the Gospel, and all strangers, into her house, which was open to all Christians; and so was exceeding serviceable to that church, and to all the saints that came thither: though it is certain that among the ancient Christians there were women servants who were called ministers.
Romans 16:2
ἵνα αὐτὴν προσδέξησθε ἐν Κυρίῳ ἀξίως τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ παραστῆτε αὐτῇ ἐν ᾧ ἂν ὑμῶν χρῄζῃ πράγματι. καὶ γὰρ αὐτὴ προστάτις πολλῶν ἐγενήθη, καὶ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ.
In order that you might welcome her in the Lord worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever things she might need from you. For even she has been a great help even of me myself.
Paraphrase: I tell you these things so that you will give her a warm and enthusiastic welcome as is appropriate from one Christian brother to another. Her work is valued so highly here in Cenchrea, and I hope you will give her the respect she deserves. Be sure to provide her with whatever she needs both while she is with you and for her return trip. She means a great deal to me as well; for not only has she served the church here, but she has done a great deal for my ministry as well.
Comments:
καὶ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ – see principle 19. Had Phoebe supported Paul’s ministry financially or in other ways? The word προστάτις would lend support to this idea seeing as it is often used for a patron; see Cruse’s commentary on this verse. Keener has written extensively on the subject of patrons; see Excursus: Patrons, Clients, and Reciprocity in his Acts commentary 3:2408. Milligan could not find any example where the feminine form, as προστάτις used here, referred to female patrons; see p551. Deissmann notes (p212) that Paul is fond of applying expressive titles full of personal feeling to these helpers.
Romans 16:3
Ἀσπάσασθε Πρίσκαν καὶ Ἀκύλαν, τοὺς συνεργούς μου ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ—
Greet Priscilla and Aquilla, my fellow laborers in Christ Jesus.
Paraphrase: Please give my love to Priscilla and her husband, Aquila. They are my colleagues in the great mission of bringing Christ to the peoples of the world. What a wonderful thing Priscilla did for Apollos when she took him under her wing in Ephesus and gave him a fuller and more accurate understanding of the gospel. (Acts 18:26) Now Apollos is pastoring the church in Corinth and standing strong for the truth of Jesus.
Comments:
Romans 16:4
οἵτινες ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου, τὸν ἑαυτῶν τράχηλον ὑπέθηκαν, οἷς οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος εὐχαριστῶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν ἐθνῶν—
Which on behalf of my life, they laid down their own necks to whom not I not alone give thanks but even all the churches of the gentiles.
Paraphrase: Neither have I forgotten how they stepped up to rescue me from a desperate situation at great risk to their own lives and reputations. For this reason, I am forever grateful to them and all the gentile churches are as well.
Comments:
Dunn lists the following as possible situations where Aquila and Priscilla may have saved Paul’s life: the situation in Corinth where the Jews brought Paul to Gallio’s court (Acts 18:12–17); the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19:23–41; 1 Cor 15:32); or any of Paul’s other numerous close scrapes. (2 Corinthians 1:8–10; 6:5; 8:2; 11:23)
Romans 16:5
καὶ τὴν κατ’ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίαν. Ἀσπάσασθε Ἐπαίνετον, τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου, ὅς ἐστιν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀσίας εἰς Χριστόν.
and the church in their house. Greet Epaineton, my beloved, who is the first fruit of Asia in Christ.
Paraphrase: And be sure to pass on our greetings to all the believers who meet in their home for worship. What a blessing it will be when I can join them in worship! I also have very fond memories of my dear friend Epenetus who was the first person in Asia to believe in Christ. My prayer is that God would use him as the first fruit to sanctify the entire province of Asia (Romans 11:16) and that many more will be brought to confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Comments:
Similarly, the family of Stephanus was the first fruits of Achaia. (1 Corinthians 16:15)
Romans 16:6
Ἀσπάσασθε Μαριάν, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν εἰς ὑμᾶς.
Greet Mary, who labored much for you.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Mary who I know poured herself out in labor for your good.
Comments:
Romans 16:7
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀνδρόνικον καὶ Ἰουνίαν, τοὺς συγγενεῖς μου καὶ συναιχμαλώτους μου, οἵτινές εἰσιν ἐπίσημοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, οἳ καὶ πρὸ ἐμοῦ γέγοναν ἐν Χριστῷ.
Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow citizens and my fellow prisoners who are highly esteemed among the apostles who even before me became in Christ.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Andronicus and to his dear wife Junia. Not only are we citizens of the same country, but we shared the same prison cell. God knows how we suffered together in that awful prison, but He also knows the precious times we had as we sang praises to God and studied the Scriptures together. I was so surprised to learn that they had come to know Christ before I! All the apostles are so thankful for the valuable ministry they perform.
Comments:
The relative pronoun οἳ modifies οἵτινές which has Andronicus and Junia as its antecedent.
Paul always uses the word apostle to refer to one of the Twelve.
There is considerable evidence that a prepositional phrase with εν and a dative noun as the OP is used to describe a well known individual who is outside the group. This supports the idea that Andronicus and Junia were well-known to the apostles but were not themselves apostles. Michael H. Burer and Daniel B. Wallace, “Was Junia Really an Apostle?,” Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood 6, no. 2 (2001).
Romans 16:8
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀμπλιᾶτον, τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου ἐν Κυρίῳ.
Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Ampliatus; what a wonderful friend he is and a brother in Christ.
Comments:
Romans 16:9
Ἀσπάσασθε Οὐρβανὸν, τὸν συνεργὸν ἡμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ, καὶ Στάχυν τὸν ἀγαπητόν μου.
Greet Urbanus, our fellow laborer in Christ and Stachys, my beloved.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Urbanus, another one of my fellow laborers in the gospel and to Stachys, my dear friend.
Comments:
Romans 16:10
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀπελλῆν, τὸν δόκιμον ἐν Χριστῷ. Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ἀριστοβούλου.
Greet Apelles tested in Christ; greet those of Aristobulus.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Apelles. He went through such a severe trial but came through it clinging tightly to Christ. His faith remained strong even though it was tested so sharply. His experience made me think of the apostle Peter who also was also tested but Jesus promised him, “I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail.” (Luke 22:32) He is a living example of what our Savior taught us, “In this world, you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) One day, he will hear the glad verdict on his life, “Well done, good and faithful slave!” (Matthew 25:21)
Also give my love to all the brothers and sisters who belonged to the estate of Aristobulus. What a pleasure to see them confessing together that Jesus is Lord.
Comments:
See Lightfoot’s comment on Caesar’s household (p169). This household would have included the meanest slaves as well as the most powerful courtiers.
Lightfoot suggested that Paul originally wrote this letter as we have it; but at a later period of his life, he removed chapters 15&16 and added a doxology. Hort disagreed and Lightfoot responded. See the entire exchange here.
Romans 16:11
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἡρῳδίωνα, τὸν συγγενῆ μου. Ἀσπάσασθε τοὺς ἐκ τῶν Ναρκίσσου, τοὺς ὄντας ἐν Κυρίῳ.
Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet the ones of Narcissus, the ones being in the the Lord.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Herodion, my relative. Greet those employed in the interests of Narcissus. They too are in Christ and and are now citizens of God’s kingdom and devoted to His interests.
Comments:
Romans 16:12
Ἀσπάσασθε Τρύφαιναν καὶ Τρυφῶσαν, τὰς κοπιώσας ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἀσπάσασθε Περσίδα, τὴν ἀγαπητήν, ἥτις πολλὰ ἐκοπίασεν ἐν Κυρίῳ.
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet Persis, my beloved who has labored much in the Lord.
Paraphrase: Give my love to the twins, Tryphena and Tryphosa. In themselves, they are timid and delicate; but in Christ, they are bold laborers in the kingdom of God and for the glory of God.
Comments:
Sanday & Headlam say (p426) that the names Tryphena and Tryphosa imply dainty and delicate.
Persis was a slave named after the country of her origin.
For τὴν ἀγαπητήν, see principle 18.
Romans 16:13
Ἀσπάσασθε Ῥοῦφον, τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐμοῦ.
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Rufus and to his dear mother. God has given him superlative gifts for the work of the ministry, and his mother is so precious to me that I think of her as my own mother.
Comments:
Chosen in the Lord here could refer to his election, but this would be true of every Christian. The thought here is that Rufus is preeminent in some gift which he had and which Paul valued highly. (2 John 1; 1 Peter 2:6)
Romans 16:14
Ἀσπάσασθε Ἀσύνκριτον, Φλέγοντα, Ἑρμῆν, Πατρόβαν, Ἑρμᾶν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφούς.
Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.
Paraphrase: Give my love to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the other brothers and sisters who gather with them from week to week. May their worship be edifying and sweet smelling savor to God. (Philippians 4:18; Ephesians 5:2; 2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
Comments:
Romans 16:15
Ἀσπάσασθε Φιλόλογον καὶ Ἰουλίαν, Νηρέα καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ὀλυμπᾶν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς πάντας ἁγίους.
Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
Paraphrase: Give my love to the teacher, Philogus and to his dear wife, Julia. May God abundantly bless their ministry. Give my love to Nereus and his sister. They are named after pagan gods, but now they belong to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I also remember my friend Olympas and all the other believers who gather with them for worship. They used to belong to the kingdom of Satan, but now they have been taken out of the world and devoted completely to God.
Comments:
See principle 18.
Romans 16:16
Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς, αἱ ἐκκλησίαι πᾶσαι τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Paraphrase: Give to each of these a hearty greeting; and if I left anyone out, please remember to give them my love as well. I hope to do this myself if God gives me opportunity. Every time you come together, greet each other with a holy kiss. Not a provocative kiss (2 Timothy 2:22); nor a hypocritical kiss (2 Samuel 20:9; Matthew 26:49), but a kiss of sincere love and wishing well to your brother or sister in Christ. Remember what our Master taught us, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)
Comments:
Romans 16:17
Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, σκοπεῖν τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα παρὰ τὴν διδαχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε ποιοῦντας, καὶ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπ’ αὐτῶν.
Now I exhort you, brothers, to look out for those making trouble and obstacles against the doctrine which you learned, even turn aside from them.
Paraphrase: I caution you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for people who love to make trouble and to create division in the body of Christ. They love to ridicule the doctrines which you were taught. They are constantly creating doubts in the minds of God’s people. I tell you earnestly; watch out for them and stay far away from them.
Comments:
Romans 16:18
οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ· καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσιν τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων.
For such ones as these do not serve our Lord Christ but their own belly and through their rhetoric and blessing, they deceive the hearts of the simple.
Paraphrase: These kind of teachers do not speak on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the contrary, their aim is to expand their own kingdom and to increase their own revenues. Their talk is so smooth and their conduct so flattering. They give out blessings, but these blessings are empty, like clouds without rain. (Proverbs 25:14; 2 Peter 2:17; Jude 12) The end result is that unsuspecting people are deceived and led astray to their own destruction.
Comments:
Romans 16:19
Ἡ γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ, εἰς πάντας ἀφίκετο. ἐφ’ ὑμῖν, οὖν χαίρω· θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς σοφοὺς εἶναι εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀκεραίους δὲ εἰς τὸ κακόν.
For your obedience is spread to all. Over you, therefore, I rejoice. Now I desire you wise be to the good and innocent to the evil.
Paraphrase: I’m so thankful for you all; I rejoice over you as a shepherd rejoices over his flock. I rejoice because I hear the reports, which have spread far and wide, that your obedience to Christ is sincere and complete. This, dear brothers and sisters, is the best news I could ever hope to hear. It is what I desire and hope for all the churches. I want you all to be skilled and experts in the good and ignorant and clueless when it comes to evil. This is the life that pleases God and brings honor to His Name.
Comments:
Romans 16:20
Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης συντρίψει τὸν Σατανᾶν ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν ἐν τάχει. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθ’ ὑμῶν.
But the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet with speed. The grace of our Lord Jesus Χριστοῦ be with you.
Paraphrase: Soon, the end of all things will come, and God will complete the promise He made to Adam and Eve so many years ago when He promised that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. (Genesis 3:15) Then it will happen that God will crush Satan under your feet. Your eyes will see the glorious victory which God will perform. Don’t grow weary, brothers and sisters, the time is not far off. Now until then, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be poured out on your richly.
Comments:
Romans 16:21
Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Τιμόθεος, ὁ συνεργός μου, καὶ Λούκιος, καὶ Ἰάσων, καὶ Σωσίπατρος, οἱ συγγενεῖς μου.
Timothy, my fellow laborer, greets you and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.
Paraphrase: Timothy, my fellow laborer is here with me along with Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater. These last are my kinsmen as well as my brothers in Christ. All of them greet you.
Comments:
Romans 16:22
Ἀσπάζομαι ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ, Τέρτιος, ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἐν Κυρίῳ.
I greet you, Tertius, who wrote this letter in the Lord.
Paraphrase: I also add my greeting to that of Paul. My name is Tertius, and I am the scribe who is doing the actual writing of this letter. I love to do this because I too am in Christ.
Comments:
τὴν ἐπιστολὴν is what GGBB calls a deictic article. (p221) See the discussion in Farrar §9 p57.
Romans 16:23
Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Γάϊος, ὁ ξένος μου, καὶ ὅλης τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ἀσπάζεται ὑμᾶς Ἔραστος, ὁ οἰκονόμος τῆς πόλεως, καὶ Κούαρτος, ὁ ἀδελφός.
Gaius greets you, my host and of the entire church. Erastus greets you, the treasurer of the city and Quartus, our brother.
Paraphrase: Gaius is our host in this city, and not just for us but also for the entire church which worships in his house. We are so thankful for his hospitality. Erastus is the treasurer of this city; he is here with us as well, along with our brother, Quartus. They all send their greetings.
Comments:
Romans 16:24
Dunn notes that some of the textual uncertainty in these verses likely goes back to Paul himself. Romans p912.
Romans 16:25
Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι, κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιόν μου καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν μυστηρίου, χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου,
Now to the One who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, being silent for the times eternal.
Paraphrase: Now I commit you into the Hands of our Great God who is the only One who can plant your feet firmly on the truths of the gospel which I have tried to explain to you in this letter. It all centers around Christ crucified and Christ resurrected. This way of salvation in Jesus is the great matter which all the prophets and saints under the old covenant tried to understand but were not able. (1 Peter 1:10-11) It was a mystery from the very beginning of time, but now God has thrown back the curtain, and we can see it clearly. (Ephesians 1:3-23)
Comments:
Romans 16:26
φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν, διά τε γραφῶν προφητικῶν, κατ’ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ αἰωνίου Θεοῦ, εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως— εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη γνωρισθέντος—
But now being manifested through the writings of the prophets and according to the decree of the eternal God unto the obedience of faith, being made known to all the nations.
Paraphrase: Yes, the truths and realities about which the prophets wrote are now clear to us. It all makes sense. The eternal plan of God to bring the nations to hear and obey the gospel call is now clear and obvious to us all.
Comments:
Romans 16:27
μόνῳ σοφῷ Θεῷ, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ᾧ, ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας 〈τῶν αἰώνων〉, ἀμήν.
To the only wise God through Jesus Christ to whom be glory into all ages of ages. Amen.
Paraphrase: Now to the God of all wisdom be blessing and glory and thanksgiving and honor and power and might into the ages of ages. Amen.”
Comments: