Romans Chapter 16
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea;
2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
5 also {greet} the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia.
6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the {household} of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the {household} of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Paul knew a lot of people in the church in Rome quite well. Paul was observant of the good that others did and was liberal in his praise to whom it was due.
17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learnt, and turn away from them.
18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
God is a God of peace, and He expects peace in His church. Satan, on the other hand, tries to destroy the peace through people who cause dissensions and hindrances. Such people get people to follow them by using smooth and flattering speech. We need to be aware of that and turn away from such people. We need to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. That is, we need to not let Satan use us for his purposes but we also need to not let others, who are agents of Satan, wittingly or unwittingly, get the better of us.
21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and {so} {do} Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother.
Other people were also allowed to add their greetings in Paul’s letters.
24 [The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, {leading} to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
Only God is wise.
Only God gets the glory – not just for now, but forever.
The gospel was previously a secret but now has been made known.
The gospel, when believed, results in obedience.
God is able to establish you.
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