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Chapter of the New Testament From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Romans 16 is the sixteenth (and the last) chapter of the Epistle to the Romans in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It is authored by Paul the Apostle, while Paul was in Corinth in the mid-50s AD,[1] with the help of a secretary (amanuensis), Tertius, who adds his own greeting in Romans 16:22.[2] Chapter 16 contains Paul's personal recommendation, personal greetings, final admonition, grace, greetings from companions, identification of writer/amanuensis and blessing.[3] The chapter is divided into 27 verses.
Romans 16 | |
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![]() Epistle to the Romans 16:1,4–7, 11–12 in Papyrus 118 (verso side), written in the 3rd century. | |
Book | Epistle to the Romans |
Category | Pauline epistles |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 6 |
The original text was written in Koine Greek. Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church at Cenchrea, 2that you welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may have need of you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well.
"Phoebe" is described as a "servant" (διακονον, diakonon) of the church in the New King James Version, as a "deacon" in the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version, a "deaconess" in the Revised Standard Version and the Jerusalem Bible, and a "leader" in the Contemporary English Version. According to the contemporary idiom in The Message, she was "a key representative of the church at Cenchreae" (or Cenchrea).[5] The Jerusalem Bible suggests she was "probably the bearer of the letter" [6] and verse 2 suggests she also had other "business"[7] to deal with in Rome.
3Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
"Priscilla" is a diminutive and affectionate name for 'Prisca'. She and her husband, Aquila, were expelled from Rome as Jews under Claudius, and had been converted at Corinth by Paul (Acts 18:1).[9] Priscilla was remarkably mentioned first, perhaps inferring that she was "the more active and conspicuous of the two"[10] as also in Acts 18:18 and 2 Timothy 4:19; except in 1 Corinthians 16:19, where they send greetings, her husband takes precedence.[11]
Afterwards this married couple appear in Paul's company at Ephesus (Acts 18:18; Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 16:19). When this Epistle was written they were at Rome, but later they seem to have returned to Ephesus (2 Timothy 4:19).[10]
"Aquila" was a Jew of Pontus. There is another Jew named Aquila from Pontus (Sinope), living more than a century later, who made a translation of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) into Greek, critically compared with the LXX in the Hexapla of Origen.[10]
Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.
— Romans 16:22, King James Version[16]
"Tertius" was an amanuensis of the apostle, who wrote this letter, either from the apostle's notes, or from dictation.[17] His name is a Latin one, and perhaps the person might be a Roman, for the names Secundus, Tertius, Quartus, Quintus, etc. were common with the Romans, although it could be argued that this man was the same with Silas, which Hebrew word is the same as Tertius.[17] Silas is known as a companion of apostle Paul, also is numbered among the seventy disciples, and said to be bishop of Iconium (see Luke 10:1).[17] The phrase "in the Lord" could be connected with "wrote this epistle" and make the sense that Tertius wrote this epistle for the Lord's sake (not by inspiration, but being only scribe to the apostle). However, that phrase is better connected with the word "salute" and the sense is that his salutation was meant to wish the people well in the Lord, so that "they might have much communion with him".[17]
Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother.
— Romans 16:23, New King James Version[18]
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
— Romans 16:27, King James Version[25]
Paul's doxology in the conclusion of the epistle, aside from effectively summing up some of the key themes, gives a high note of ascription of glory to "the only wise God".[26]
There are many scholars says that Epistle to the Romans original letter ended with 14:23 because, they believe that this doxology (along with much of chapters 15 and 16) were added later to summarize the contents of the letter and to provide a less abrupt ending.[27]Some of them said the end of the original is in chapter 15[28]There are Romans manuscripts end in chapter 15 and other manuscripts place chapter 16 between chapters 14 and 15.[29]
Many translations exclude this verse altogether, skipping from verse 23 to verse 25, because most of the older manuscripts, discovered some time after chapter and verse numbers were applied to Romans, do not have them, it is generally omitted from the final translation.[30] Protestants usually omit verse 16:24 but the Anglican Church accepts it as canonical.[31]
Arland J. Hultgren said:
They are missing altogether in some Greek witnesses; alternatively, they appear at the end of chapter 14 in some Greek texts; and they appear after chapter 15 in others. (There are even more variations than these!) So many textual variations makes these verses highly suspect, causing one to question whether they were part of the version that came from the hand of Tertius, Paul’s amanuensis (Romans 16:22).[32]
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