New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Romans 16
1
I would like you to welcome our sister Phoebe. She serves the church in Cenchrea.
Reference
People
2
I ask you to receive her as one who belongs to the Lord. Receive her in the way God's people should. Give her any help she may need from you. She has been a great help to many people, including me.
Reference
3
Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They work together with me in serving Christ Jesus.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 18:26
1 Corinthians 16:19
2 Timothy 4:19
1 Corinthians 16:16
References Christ
Romans 16:9
4
They have put their lives in danger for me. I am thankful for them. So are all the non-Jewish churches.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 John 3:16
5
Greet also the church that meets in the house of Priscilla and Aquila. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person in Asia Minor to become a believer in Christ.
Reference
Love
Philemon 1:2
Parallel theme
Colossians 4:15
1 Corinthians 16:19
1 Corinthians 16:15
Matthew 18:20
7
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives. They have been in prison with me. They are leaders among the apostles. They became believers in Christ before I did.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Romans 16:21
Romans 16:11
Colossians 4:10
References Christ
Philemon 1:23
2 Corinthians 5:17
Galatians 1:22
9
Greet Urbanus. He works together with me in serving Christ. And greet my dear friend Stachys.
People
10
Greet Apelles. Even though he was put to the test, he remained faithful as one who belonged to Christ. Greet those who live in the house of Aristobulus.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 8:2
1 Corinthians 11:19
1 Timothy 3:10
2 Corinthians 2:9
2 Corinthians 8:22
Philippians 2:22
2 Timothy 4:19
References Christ
Romans 14:18
1 Peter 1:7
12
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa. Those women work hard for the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis. She is another woman who has worked very hard for the Lord.
Reference
People
13
Greet Rufus. He is a choice believer in the Lord. And greet his mother. She has been like a mother to me too.
Reference
15
Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister. Greet Olympas and all of God's people with them.
Reference
People
Holy
Romans 16:2
16
Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send their greetings.
Reference
Holy
1 Corinthians 16:20
2 Corinthians 13:12
1 Thessalonians 5:26
Parallel theme
Acts 20:37
References Christ
1 Peter 5:14
17
I am warning you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who try to keep you from staying together. They want to trip you up. They teach you things opposite to what you have learned. Stay away from them.
Reference
18
People like that are not serving Christ our Lord. They are serving only themselves. With smooth talk and with words they don't mean they fool people who don't know any better.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 7:15
Philippians 3:19
1 Timothy 6:5
2 Thessalonians 2:10
Proverbs 22:3
References Christ
Matthew 24:24
References Lord
Micah 3:5
Word
Colossians 2:4
2 Peter 2:3
Jude 1:16
19
Everyone has heard that you obey God. So you have filled me with joy. I want you to be wise about what is good. And I want you to have nothing to do with what is evil.
Reference
20
The God who gives peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Reference
Grace
1 Thessalonians 5:28
Revelation 22:21
Parallel theme
Luke 10:19
Genesis 3:15
Romans 8:37
Peace
Romans 15:33
References Christ
Revelation 12:10
References God
1 John 3:8
References Lord
Zechariah 10:5
Malachi 4:3
21
Timothy works together with me. He sends his greetings to you. So do Lucius, Jason and Sosipater, my relatives.
Reference
People
22
I, Tertius, wrote down this letter. I greet you as a believer in the Lord.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
Galatians 6:11
23
Gaius sends you his greetings. He has welcomed me and the whole church here into his house. Erastus is the director of public works here in the city. He sends you his greetings. Our brother Quartus also greets you.
Reference
People
25
May God receive glory. He is able to strengthen your faith because of the good news I preach. It is the message about Jesus Christ. It is in keeping with the mystery that was hidden for a very long time.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Corinthians 2:7
Ephesians 1:9
2 Corinthians 4:3
Acts 20:32
Matthew 13:17
References Christ
Acts 9:20
1 Corinthians 1:23
References Jesus
Romans 2:16
2 Thessalonians 2:14
Ephesians 3:9
26
The mystery has now been made known through the writings of the prophets. The eternal God commanded that it be made known. He wanted all nations to believe and obey him.
Reference
Creation
Colossians 1:26
2 Timothy 1:10
Eternal Life
Isaiah 40:28
1 Timothy 1:17
1 John 5:20
Faith
Romans 1:5
Galatians 3:8
Word
Romans 15:18
Romans 15:4
Romans 1:2
Chapter Summary
Romans 16 closes the letter by moving from Paul's large teaching about salvation, faith, grace, Christian living, and unity to a very personal list of people who were part of the early Christian network, showing that the Gospel was spreading through real relationships, homes, families, travelers, workers, and faithful servants.
Paul begins by recommending Phoebe, a respected Christian woman from Cenchreae, and asks the Roman believers to welcome and help her, which suggests that she was trusted to carry Paul's letter from the eastern part of the Roman Empire to the church in Rome.
He then sends greetings to many individuals, including Priscilla and Aquila, Andronicus and Junia, Mary, Rufus, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, and many others, recognizing their hard work, courage, hospitality, friendship, and faithfulness.
The long list shows that the Roman church was not simply one large group but was likely made up of several smaller house churches, with believers from different ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds worshiping together as one Christian family.
Paul then warns the believers to watch out for people who create division and confusion, telling them to remain wise about what is good and careful about evil, because protecting Christian unity requires both love and spiritual discernment.
The chapter ends with greetings from Paul's companions and a final praise to God, reminding readers that the Gospel is God's revealed plan to bring people from every nation into faith and obedience through Jesus Christ.
Historical Context
Romans 16 gives us one of the most valuable pictures of the personal network behind the early Christian movement, because Paul names more than two dozen people connected with the church in Rome and his wider missionary work.
The chapter begins with Phoebe, who came from Cenchreae, the eastern harbor of Corinth.
Paul describes her as a servant of the church and someone who had helped many people, including himself, and his strong recommendation suggests that she was a trusted Christian leader and supporter.
Paul's request that the Roman believers receive her and assist her also makes it very likely that she was the person who carried the letter of Romans to Rome, although the text does not directly state this.
The greetings to Priscilla and Aquila are especially important because they appear several times in the New Testament as Jewish Christians who worked alongside Paul.
They had lived in Corinth, later worked in Ephesus, and were associated with Rome, showing how Christian workers and families moved throughout the Roman Empire.
Their home hosted a Christian congregation, demonstrating the importance of house churches in the first century.
The Roman church was probably not one large congregation meeting in a dedicated building, because Christians generally gathered in private homes, often in groups small enough for shared meals, teaching, prayer, and personal relationships.
The names Paul lists also provide clues about the social diversity of the Roman church.
Some names were common among wealthy Romans, while others were especially common among slaves and freed people, suggesting that Christianity crossed normal social boundaries.
The names of Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Julia, and other women also show that women were active members of the early Christian network and were remembered for their work and service.
Paul's reference to Andronicus and Junia is particularly significant because he calls them his relatives and fellow prisoners and says they were well known among the apostles, indicating that they were respected early followers of Christ.
Paul's warning about people who create divisions is also important because the early Christian movement was not free from false teaching, disagreements, and competing ideas.
Traveling teachers and public speakers were common throughout the Roman world, so Christian communities needed to carefully evaluate what they were being taught.
The greeting from Tertius, who wrote down Paul's words, gives us a rare glimpse into the production of ancient letters.
Paul likely dictated the letter while Tertius acted as his writing assistant or secretary, recording Paul's message and adding his own personal greeting.
Paul also mentions Gaius, who provided hospitality, showing once again how important Christian homes were to the movement.
He mentions Erastus, described as the city treasurer, although we cannot be completely certain that this is the same Erastus connected with an archaeological inscription found at Corinth.
The final section returns to one of Paul's greatest themes: the Gospel is not merely a message for one ethnic group but is God's plan to bring all nations to faith and obedience.
The central message of Romans 16 is that the Gospel creates a worldwide family of people who serve God together, with every person playing a different but valuable role.
Paul's list of names reminds us that Christianity was spread not only through famous apostles but also through ordinary people who opened their homes, helped missionaries, supported churches, suffered for their faith, served others, and faithfully worked behind the scenes.
The chapter also shows that Christian leadership and service were not limited to one type of person, because women and men from different social backgrounds were actively involved in the life of the church.
At the same time, Paul warns that unity must be protected, because false teaching and selfish behavior can divide a Christian community.
The final message is one of confidence and hope: God is able to strengthen His people through the Gospel, reveal His saving plan to the nations, defeat evil, and bring everything toward His wise and eternal purpose.
Romans therefore ends where the entire letter ultimately leads—not with human achievement, but with God's grace, God's wisdom, God's power, and God's glory through Jesus Christ.
Paul begins by recommending Phoebe, a respected Christian woman from Cenchreae, and asks the Roman believers to welcome and help her, which suggests that she was trusted to carry Paul's letter from the eastern part of the Roman Empire to the church in Rome.
He then sends greetings to many individuals, including Priscilla and Aquila, Andronicus and Junia, Mary, Rufus, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, and many others, recognizing their hard work, courage, hospitality, friendship, and faithfulness.
The long list shows that the Roman church was not simply one large group but was likely made up of several smaller house churches, with believers from different ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds worshiping together as one Christian family.
Paul then warns the believers to watch out for people who create division and confusion, telling them to remain wise about what is good and careful about evil, because protecting Christian unity requires both love and spiritual discernment.
The chapter ends with greetings from Paul's companions and a final praise to God, reminding readers that the Gospel is God's revealed plan to bring people from every nation into faith and obedience through Jesus Christ.
Historical Context
Romans 16 gives us one of the most valuable pictures of the personal network behind the early Christian movement, because Paul names more than two dozen people connected with the church in Rome and his wider missionary work.
The chapter begins with Phoebe, who came from Cenchreae, the eastern harbor of Corinth.
Paul describes her as a servant of the church and someone who had helped many people, including himself, and his strong recommendation suggests that she was a trusted Christian leader and supporter.
Paul's request that the Roman believers receive her and assist her also makes it very likely that she was the person who carried the letter of Romans to Rome, although the text does not directly state this.
The greetings to Priscilla and Aquila are especially important because they appear several times in the New Testament as Jewish Christians who worked alongside Paul.
They had lived in Corinth, later worked in Ephesus, and were associated with Rome, showing how Christian workers and families moved throughout the Roman Empire.
Their home hosted a Christian congregation, demonstrating the importance of house churches in the first century.
The Roman church was probably not one large congregation meeting in a dedicated building, because Christians generally gathered in private homes, often in groups small enough for shared meals, teaching, prayer, and personal relationships.
The names Paul lists also provide clues about the social diversity of the Roman church.
Some names were common among wealthy Romans, while others were especially common among slaves and freed people, suggesting that Christianity crossed normal social boundaries.
The names of Tryphaena, Tryphosa, Persis, Julia, and other women also show that women were active members of the early Christian network and were remembered for their work and service.
Paul's reference to Andronicus and Junia is particularly significant because he calls them his relatives and fellow prisoners and says they were well known among the apostles, indicating that they were respected early followers of Christ.
Paul's warning about people who create divisions is also important because the early Christian movement was not free from false teaching, disagreements, and competing ideas.
Traveling teachers and public speakers were common throughout the Roman world, so Christian communities needed to carefully evaluate what they were being taught.
The greeting from Tertius, who wrote down Paul's words, gives us a rare glimpse into the production of ancient letters.
Paul likely dictated the letter while Tertius acted as his writing assistant or secretary, recording Paul's message and adding his own personal greeting.
Paul also mentions Gaius, who provided hospitality, showing once again how important Christian homes were to the movement.
He mentions Erastus, described as the city treasurer, although we cannot be completely certain that this is the same Erastus connected with an archaeological inscription found at Corinth.
The final section returns to one of Paul's greatest themes: the Gospel is not merely a message for one ethnic group but is God's plan to bring all nations to faith and obedience.
The central message of Romans 16 is that the Gospel creates a worldwide family of people who serve God together, with every person playing a different but valuable role.
Paul's list of names reminds us that Christianity was spread not only through famous apostles but also through ordinary people who opened their homes, helped missionaries, supported churches, suffered for their faith, served others, and faithfully worked behind the scenes.
The chapter also shows that Christian leadership and service were not limited to one type of person, because women and men from different social backgrounds were actively involved in the life of the church.
At the same time, Paul warns that unity must be protected, because false teaching and selfish behavior can divide a Christian community.
The final message is one of confidence and hope: God is able to strengthen His people through the Gospel, reveal His saving plan to the nations, defeat evil, and bring everything toward His wise and eternal purpose.
Romans therefore ends where the entire letter ultimately leads—not with human achievement, but with God's grace, God's wisdom, God's power, and God's glory through Jesus Christ.