Romans 16:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.

NIV: Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.

NASB: Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, the brother.

CSB: Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.

NLT: Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.

KJV: Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

NKJV: Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother.

Paul sends greetings to the Christians in Rome from three more of the men with him in Corinth. Three men named Gaius are mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 20:4; 3 John 1; 1 Corinthians 1:14). This one is most probably the same one mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:14 as a man he baptized while in Corinth. Paul is apparently staying at Gaius's house. He describes Gaius as a host to the entire church, perhaps meaning that his regular practice is to host Christians from out of town or that the church in Corinth, or some part of it, meets in Gaius's home.

Christian converts in the early church were found at all levels of social and economic status in society. Paul describes a man named Erastus as a city official. Depending on how the term oikonomos is interpreted, he was the city treasurer, a director of public works, or some civil officer. Some have suggested that an inscription found in the ruins of ancient Corinth in 1929, mentioning a man named Erastus as an "aedile," is this same man.

Paul sends his final greeting from a fellow believer named Quartus, a man not mentioned anywhere else in the New Testament.

Romans 16:17–23 includes last-minute instruction from Paul and greetings to those in Rome from the men with him in Corinth. Before closing the letter, Paul urgently warns his readers to be on the watch for false teachers; to avoid them. These people do not serve Christ and will deceive the naive with their distorted version of Christian truth, thus dividing the church. Paul sends greetings from Timothy, his longtime partner and student in ministry. Paul also sends greetings from his host in Corinth and several other friends and co-workers.

The final chapter of Romans contains four sections intended to wrap up the letter. Paul commends the woman who will deliver the letter and then sends greetings to many people he knows in Rome. After last-minute, urgent instruction about false teachers, Paul sends greetings to the Roman Christians from those who are with him in Corinth, including Timothy. Paul closes out the letter with a hymn of praise to the God who has revealed to all the nations of the earth the gospel of salvation by faith in Christ Jesus.

Prior verses detailed Paul's plans to visit Rome and asked for prayer. This text concludes his letter to the Christians in Rome with four quick sections. He sends his greetings to a list of people he knows, or at least knows of, in Rome. Paul offers last-minute instruction about false teachers. He sends greetings from those who are with him in Corinth. And he closes out the letter with a beautiful praise hymn to the God who has revealed the mystery of the gospel of Jesus to all nations so that all might obey faith in Jesus.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.