RomansChapter 16

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I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is also a servant of the church at Cenchreae,

so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you; for she herself has been a benefactor of many, and of me as well.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,

who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

Greet also the church that meets in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, the first convert to Christ in Asia.

Greet Mary, who has worked hard among you.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.

Greet Apelles, who has proved himself in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who work hard in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.

Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.

Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and put obstacles in your way, contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.

Your obedience has become known to everyone, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus send you greetings.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

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Summary2

Chapter 16

Main Theme: Paul concludes the letter to the Romans with personal greetings, recommendations, and warnings to the church in Rome.

Content: Paul recommends Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, and greets many fellow workers, including Priscilla and Aquila, who risked their lives for him. He warns against those who create divisions and lead others astray with flattery, promising that the God of peace will soon crush Satan. The chapter includes greetings from Paul's coworkers, among them Tertius, who wrote down the letter, and ends with a greeting of grace.

Key Words/Images:

Διάκονος (servant/deacon): Phoebe is described as a servant in the church, an early testimony to women's service in the apostolic church.
Συνεργοί (fellow workers): Paul mentions many fellow workers, showing how the gospel spread through teamwork.
Διχοστασίαι (divisions): A warning against those who create strife and stumbling blocks contrary to the teaching received.
Φίλημα ἅγιον (holy kiss): A greeting expressing Christian love and fellowship among believers.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Romans 16

People

Romans 16 contains the longest list of greetings in Paul's letters, with around 26–28 named individuals. Phoebe (vv. 1–2) is described as a διάκονος (diakonos) of the church at Cenchreae and as a προστάτις (prostatis, "protector/patron"). This latter term was a legal term in Greco-Roman culture for a wealthy person who provided financial support and legal protection. Phoebe was likely the letter carrier who delivered Romans.

Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquila (vv. 3–5) are known from Acts 18. They were expelled from Rome under Emperor Claudius's edict (around 49 AD) and met Paul in Corinth. Now they had returned to Rome after Claudius's death (54 AD) and led a house church. Andronicus and Junia (v. 7) are described as "outstanding among the apostles" (ἐπίσημοι ἐν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις) and were Christians before Paul himself. Junia is most likely a woman's name, indicating that women held prominent roles in the early church.

Tertius (v. 22) identifies himself as the one who physically wrote down the letter (ὁ γράψας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν). He is the only one of Paul's secretaries to name himself and send his own personal greeting in the letters.

Erastus (v. 23) is called "the city treasurer" (οἰκονόμος τῆς πόλεως), an administrative position responsible for public funds. An inscription found in Corinth from the first century mentions an Erastus who funded a sidewalk as gratitude for his office, possibly the same person.

Places

Cenchreae (v. 1) was the eastern port city of Corinth, about 11 kilometers from the center. The city lay on the Saronic Gulf and handled trade with the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. Archaeological excavations have revealed harbor structures and sanctuaries. The fact that there was a Christian church there shows that the gospel spread early to trading centers around Corinth. According to Acts 18:18, Paul is said to have cut his hair there in connection with a vow.

Events and Customs

The holy kiss (v. 16, φίλημα ἅγιον) was a liturgical practice in the early churches. In Greco-Roman culture, kissing was a common greeting among family members and close friends. The Christian practice marked believers as a spiritual family and was used in worship settings. Justin Martyr (around 150 AD) describes how the kiss of peace was exchanged before communion.

House churches (vv. 5, 14–15) were the norm for early Christianity. Without their own church buildings, believers gathered in private homes, often owned by wealthy members. Romans 16 suggests several such house churches in Rome, which explains the diversity and potential tensions within the Roman Christian community.

The warning against those who cause divisions (vv. 17–20) breaks with the warm tone of the greetings and warns against those who create "divisions" (διχοστασίας) and "stumbling blocks" (σκάνδαλα) contrary to the teaching the church has received. Paul describes these people with the powerful expression that they "serve their own appetites" (τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ) and use "smooth talk and flattery" (χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας) to deceive the simple. The promise that "the God of peace will soon crush Satan under their feet" (v. 20) connects to the creation account (Genesis 3:15).

Key Terms

The term διάκονος (diakonos, v. 1) used for Phoebe is the same word Paul uses for his own service and for other leaders like Apollos (1 Corinthians 3:5). It means "servant" or "helper," but in a church context it indicates an recognized role of service. That Paul uses this term for a woman shows that women held official functions in the early churches.

Συγγενεῖς (syngeneis, "relatives," vv. 7, 11, 21) can mean either biological relatives or fellow countrymen (Jews). In this context it likely refers to Jewish Christians, showing that Paul's network included both Jewish and Gentile Christian coworkers.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The Erastus inscription from Corinth, found in 1929 near the theater, reads: "Erastus laid this sidewalk at his own expense as thanks for his office as aedile." Although the title of office (aedil vs. oikonomos) is not identical, many scholars believe this may be the same person, since an oikonomos could advance to become an aedil. The inscription dates to the middle of the first century AD and would in that case be a rare archaeological witness to a named person in the New Testament.

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