# Romans 16 📖: Greetings and Final Warnings [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Romans Overview]] | [[Romans 15]] | [[1 Corinthians 01]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) ### Personal Greetings [[#Verse 01.]] Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,  [[#Verse 02.]] so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me. [[#Verse 03.]] Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,  [[#Verse 04.]] who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.  [[#Verse 05.]] Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.  [[#Verse 06.]] Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. [[#Verse 07.]] Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.  [[#Verse 08.]] Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.  [[#Verse 09.]] Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my good friend Stachys.  [[#Verse 10.]] Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.  [[#Verse 11.]] Greet Herodion, my compatriot. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.  [[#Verse 12.]] Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.  [[#Verse 13.]] Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me.  [[#Verse 14.]] Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them.  [[#Verse 15.]] Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the believers who are with them.  [[#Verse 16.]] Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. [[#Verse 17.]] Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!  [[#Verse 18.]] For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.  [[#Verse 19.]] Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.  [[#Verse 20.]] The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. [[#Verse 21.]]Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my compatriots.  [[#Verse 22.]] I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord.  [[#Verse 23.]] Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you. [[#Verse 25.]] Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,  [[#Verse 26.]] but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—  [[#Verse 27.]] to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Phoebe was from Cenchrea, the eastern port of Corinth, and she most likely carried the letter to Rome. 2. The word used for Phoebe in 16:1 (*diakonos*) can mean servant or deacon, and scholars discuss which sense Paul intends. 3. Paul names more than two dozen people in 16:3-15, a striking number for a church he had never visited. 4. Prisca and Aquila had been forced out of Rome under Claudius (Acts 18:2) and had since returned. 5. Tertius, who wrote the letter down as Paul's scribe, adds his own greeting (16:22). 6. An inscription found at Corinth names an Erastus who paid for a pavement as a city official. Some scholars connect him with the Erastus of 16:23. 7. Rufus (16:13) may be the son of Simon of Cyrene, since Mark 15:21 names Simon as the father of Rufus. 8. Several names in the list, such as Ampliatus, Urbanus, and Hermes, were common among slaves and freed slaves in Rome. 9. Andronicus and Junia (16:7) were fellow Jews who had been in prison with Paul and had come to Christ before he did. 10. The "holy kiss" (16:16) was a family greeting the early church used to show they were one family in Christ. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the One whose gospel strengthens His people and reveals the mystery kept secret for long ages (16:25-26). Through Him the God of peace will soon crush Satan under our feet (16:20), fulfilling Genesis 3:15 (Hebrews 2:14). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Paul names many co-workers, men and women alike (16:1-16). What does this list teach about the value of every person who serves? 2. Paul warns about people who cause divisions and use smooth talk (16:17-18). How can a church guard unity without becoming suspicious of everyone? 3. Paul wants believers to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil (16:19). What does that look like in your daily choices? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verses 1-2: Paul commends Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea, and asks Rome to welcome her. - 📖 verses 3-4: Prisca and Aquila risked their lives for Paul. - 📖 verse 17: Watch out for those who cause divisions contrary to the teaching you learned, and avoid them. - 📖 verse 20: The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. - 📖 verse 27: To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Genesis 03#Verse 15.|Genesis 3:15]] - The first gospel promise: the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent's head. - 🔗 [[Matthew 07#Verse 15.|Matthew 7:15]] - Beware of false prophets in sheep's clothing. - 🔗 [[Mark 15#Verse 21.|Mark 15:21]] - Simon of Cyrene, father of Rufus (possibly the Rufus of 16:13). - 🔗 [[Acts 18#Verse 01.|Acts 18:1-3, 18-26]] - Paul's ministry with Priscilla and Aquila. - 🔗 [[Acts 20#Verse 04.|Acts 20:4]] - Paul's traveling companions, including Sopater and Gaius. - 🔗 [[1 Corinthians 16#Verse 19.|1 Corinthians 16:19]] - Priscilla and Aquila host a church in their home. - 🔗 [[Ephesians 03#Verse 20.|Ephesians 3:20-21]] - Glory to Him who is able to do far more than we ask. - 🔗 [[Colossians 01#Verse 26.|Colossians 1:26-27]] - The mystery hidden for ages, now revealed: Christ in you. - 🔗 [[Titus 03#Verse 10.|Titus 3:10]] - Warn a divisive person, then have nothing to do with him. - 🔗 [[2 John 01#Verse 10.|2 John 10-11]] - Do not welcome those who bring false teaching. - 🔗 [[Jude 01#Verse 24.|Jude 24-25]] - To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling be glory forever. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Romans 16 - SOAP|Create Clear Boundaries]] ## 📂 Internal Notes [[SeriesOverview- The Mission (Romans)]]