Romans 16:15 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord's people who are with them.

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

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

NLT: Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.

KJV: Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

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

Paul comes to the end of his list of people he wants his readers to greet for him in Rome. Those mentioned in this verse may have belonged to yet another house church. Apparently, the church in Rome consisted of several smaller groups that met in individual homes. Perhaps Paul's letter would be read aloud in each group and then passed around.

This group likely includes another husband-and-wife pairing in Philologus and Julia, since they are mentioned together. Paul offers greetings to Nereus and his sister, as well as to Olympas. Perhaps he didn't know the names of any of the others who met in this home.

Romans 16:1–16 includes a list of two dozen or so people or groups that Paul wants his readers to greet for him in Rome. He begins by introducing them to Phoebe, the lady who will deliver this letter from him in Corinth. He asks them to greet his good friends and longtime partners in work and ministry Prisca—or Priscilla—and Aquila, who have returned to Rome from their time in Asia. Also on the list are close friends, slaves, royal families, and members of the various house churches that meet in Rome.

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.

Accessed 4/28/2024 2:09:45 AM