What does Romans 15:23 mean?
Paul has written to the Christians in Rome about why he has never traveled to see them there. His mission from God was to take the good news about salvation through faith in Jesus to regions where it had never been heard before (Romans 15:20).He now writes that he has run out of unreached places to preach in his part of the world, freeing him up to come and see them on his way to Spain. Paul speaks very personally that he has longed to come and see them for many years. The following chapter will reveal that, though Paul has never been to Rome, he knows a great many people there, and cares deeply about them.
Paul's expression of his longing to see the Romans echoes what he wrote at the beginning of his letter. There, he mentioned his desire to strengthen them spiritually, to give and receive encouragement, and to reap a spiritual harvest among them (Romans 1:10–13).