Romans 15:14-16:27
New Catholic Bible
Epilogue[a]
14 Apostle to the Gentiles.[b] Brethren, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are immersed in goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to you rather boldly to refresh your memory in some respects because of the grace given to me by God. 16 He has appointed me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, in order that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering consecrated by the Holy Spirit.
17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to glory in my service of God. 18 I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience to God by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.
So from Jerusalem[c] and the surrounding area, even as far as Illyricum, I have completed the preaching of the gospel of Christ. 20 Moreover, I have always striven to preach the gospel of Christ where the name of Christ is not known, not wanting to build on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:
“Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”
22 Paul’s Plans for Traveling—Even to Spain.[d] That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you. 23 But now, since there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and since for a good many years I have desired to visit you, 24 I hope to see you when I am on my way to Spain. Then, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can send me on my way there.
25 Presently, however, I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia[e] have resolved to make a contribution for the benefit of the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do so, and indeed they are indebted to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they owe it to them to share their material blessings with them.
28 Therefore, when I have completed this task and have delivered the fruit of their generosity to them, I will set out for Spain and visit you along the way. 29 And I am sure that when I come, I shall do so with the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30 Therefore, I exhort you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my labors by praying to God for me 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there. 32 In that way, I can come to you in joy, if God so wills, and be refreshed together with you. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Chapter 16
Recommendation of Phoebe.[f] 1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess[g] of the Church at Cenchreae. 2 Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her with whatever she may need from you, for she has been a benefactor of many people, including myself.
List of Greetings. 3 Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me, and I as well as all the Churches of the Gentiles am grateful to them. 5 Greet also the Church that assembles in their house.
Give my greetings to my beloved friend Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked extremely hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,[h] my relatives who were in prison with me; they are eminent in the ranks of the apostles and were in Christ before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles,[i] who has proved worthy in the service of Christ, and those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.[j]
11 Greetings to my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the household of Narcissus.[k] 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa[l] who labor diligently in the Lord’s service. Greet my dear friend Persis, who also works hard for the Lord. 13 Give my greetings to Rufus,[m] one chosen by the Lord, as well as to his mother who has also been a mother to me.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, as well as all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the Churches of Christ send you their greetings.
17 Beware of Dissenters. I urge you, brethren, to watch out for those who incite dissensions and obstacles in opposition to the teaching that you have learned. Take care to avoid them. 18 For such people are not servants of our Lord Jesus Christ but of their own appetites, and by smooth words and flattery they deceive the minds of the simple. 19 Your obedience has become known to all and has caused me to rejoice greatly over you. However, I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil; 20 then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21 Greetings from Paul’s Companions at Corinth. Timothy, my coworker, sends greetings to you, as do Lucius and Jason[n] and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, who am writing down this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Greetings also from Gaius,[o] my host and the host to the whole Church, and from Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus. [ 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.][p]
Glory to God through Jesus Christ[q]
25 Now to him who has the power to strengthen you
in accordance with the gospel that I preach
and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery
that was kept secret for long ages
26 but is now revealed,
and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the nations
according to the command of the eternal God
to bring them to the obedience of faith—
27 to God who alone is wise,
through Jesus Christ
be glory forever! Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 15:14 Paul has set forth his main ideas on Christian faith in Christ dead and risen. He now briefly explains his plans and in this context tells his readers in what his ministry consists. The Letter ends with a liturgical hymn that is also a profession of faith.
- Romans 15:14 Paul regards his apostolic work as a sacred service, as a Liturgy of God in the world of human beings; in fact, it is in the name of God and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the Apostle intervenes to prompt people to belief and to lead the human family to be committed to God. He looks upon this action as the true sacrifice, one that expresses a gift and a love for life itself. It is understood that a community that proclaims the Gospel is also a community that celebrates the Eucharist (see Rom 1:9; 12:1; Phil 2:17).
Paul is conscious that, aided by the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit, he is carrying out a proper task. He makes the Gospel present in the human groups of the Gentile world and rejoices in having accomplished a foundational work. - Romans 15:19 Jerusalem and Illyricum, which borders on Macedonia in the northwest, are the two extremes of Paul’s apostolate at this time.
- Romans 15:22 Rome is not to be anything more than a stopover on Paul’s journey to Spain. He plans to travel to the very ends of the West to continue his mission to make the Gospel present where it has not yet been announced. Apparently, he intends to go to Jerusalem to bring to indigent Christians (“saints”) of that mother community the fruits of the collection organized by Christians converted from paganism. This will be not only a gesture of mutual aid but a test of unity among Christians of both Gentile and Jewish origin (see 1 Cor 16:14; 2 Cor 8–9; Gal 2:10). A genuine fraternal communion requires a new practice of exchanging goods with one another.
In the wake of the Galatian crisis, the Apostle is justified in thinking that he risks being badly received in Judea. The prayer of the Romans will be a comfort to him. The Book of Acts tells the story of his arrest in Jerusalem (ch. 21) and his journey to Rome (chs. 27–28). - Romans 15:26 Achaia: the Roman province of southern Greece.
- Romans 16:1 Relations between the Churches became closer thanks to the fraternal relations among their members. Many of the persons named here remain unknown to us. Phoebe, who exercises a ministry of assistance among poor and sick women in Cenchreae, the port of Corinth, is possibly the bearer of the Letter. Prisca and Aquila: since “Prisca” is a variant of “Priscilla,” it is obvious that these are the same two people who are placed at Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus by the Book of Acts and Paul’s Letters (see Acts 18:2, 18-19, 26; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19). In the Greek, Roman, and Jewish names, we can assume differences of social condition. Thus, this list testifies to the internal diversity of communities assembled together in the Church of Christ and, at the same time, to the responsibilities held by members of each group, made up of lay people, men or women, celibate or married. In the midst of these salutations, a severe condemnation is lodged against all those who sow division and scandal. Paul is probably thinking of Judaizing preachers (see Gal 5:7-12; Phil 3:18f) or teachers of religion preoccupied with their profit.
- Romans 16:1 Phoebe, who is a deaconess: this verse seems to allow an office of a woman deacon although Scripture does not define the specific responsibilities of a woman deacon. See also 1 Tim 4:14.
- Romans 16:7 Junia: this name is usually taken to be masculine; others see it as feminine. In fact, some manuscripts have “Julia” in place of “Junia.”
- Romans 16:10 Ampliatus . . . Urbanus . . . Stachys . . . Apelles: these are all common names of slaves found in the imperial household.
- Romans 16:10 Aristobulus: some think this name refers to the grandson of Herod the Great and the brother of Herod Agrippa I.
- Romans 16:11 Narcissus: sometimes identified with Tiberius Claudius Narcissus, a wealthy freedman of the Roman Emperor Tiberius.
- Romans 16:12 Tryphaena and Tryphosa: may refer to twin sisters who were wont to bear names based on the same root. Persis: i.e., a Persian woman.
- Romans 16:13 Rufus: possibly the Rufus mentioned in Mk 15:21 as the son of Simon the Cyrenian, who helped Jesus carry his cross.
- Romans 16:21 Jason: possibly the person mentioned in Acts 17:5-9. Sosipater: some think this is the son of Pyrrhus from Beroea who is called Sopater in Acts 20:4.
- Romans 16:23 Gaius: some think this is the Titus Justus in whose house Paul lodged while in Corinth (see Acts 18:7 and 1 Cor 1:14). Erastus, the city treasurer: this may be the same person referred to in Acts 19:22 and 2 Tim 4:20. He may also be the person mentioned in the following Latin inscription recently found on a block of stone at Corinth: “Erastus, commissioner of public works, bore no expense of this pavement.”
- Romans 16:24 This verse is found in some manuscripts (see v. 20).
- Romans 16:25 This fine liturgical hymn expresses the Church’s joy at living in a time when the mystery of salvation is being fulfilled. Mystery: Paul uses this word to set forth: (1) the Incarnation (see 1 Tim 3:16); (2) Christ’s saving Death on the Cross (see 1 Cor 2:1, 7); (3) the restoration of all things in Christ (see Eph 1:9); (4) the change wrought by Christ’s Resurrection (see 1 Cor 15:51); and (5) the inclusion of both Jew and Gentile in the Kingdom of God (see v. 25).
