< Romans 16 >
1 I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,
[By means of this letter] I am introducing and recommending to you our fellow believer Phoebe, [who will be taking this letter to you]. She is a deacon in the congregation in Cenchrea [city].
2 that you receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.
[I request that] you receive her because of her relationship with the Lord. [You should do that because] those who are God’s people ought to receive [their fellow believers]. [I am also requesting] that you help her [by giving her] [EUP] whatever she needs, because she has helped many people, including me.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
Tell Priscilla and [her husband] Aquila that I (send greetings to/am thinking fondly of) them. They worked with me for Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.
and they were even willing to die [IDM] in order [to save] my life. It is not only I who thank them [for helping me], but the people in all [HYP] the non-Jewish congregations also [thank them for saving my life].
5 Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.
Also tell the congregation [that meets] in their house that I (send my greetings to/am thinking fondly of) them. Tell my dear friend Epaenetus the same thing. He is the first man in Asia [province] who [believed] in Christ.
6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
Tell Mary, who has worked hard [for Christ] in order to [help] you, that I (send my greetings to/am thinking fondly of) her.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me.
Tell the same thing to Andronicus and [his wife] Junia (OR, and [his sister] Junia) who are my fellow Jews and who were also [previously] in prison with me. They are well-known/respected (OR, respected by the) apostles, and they became Christians before I did.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
I also send my greetings to Ampliatus, who is a dear friend because of his relationship with the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
I also send my greetings to Urbanus, who works for Christ with us, and to my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
I also send my greetings to Apelles, whom Christ has approved [because Apelles successfully endured trials]. Tell the [believers] who [live in the house] of Aristobulus that I send my greetings to them.
11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.
Also tell Herodion, who is my fellow Jew, that I send my greetings to him. Tell the same thing to those who [live in the house] of Narcissus who belong to the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
Tell the same thing to Tryphaena and [her sister] Tryphosa, who work hard for the Lord. I also send my greetings to Persis. [We all] love her and she has worked very hard for the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
Tell Rufus, who is an outstanding Christian, that I send my greetings to him. [Tell the same thing to] his mother, [who has treated me as though] I [were her son] [MET].
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.
Tell Asyncritus and Phlegon and Hermes and Patrobas and Hermas and the fellow believers who [meet] with them that I am sending my greetings to them.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
I also send my greetings to Philologus, to [his wife] Julia (OR, [his sister] Julia), to Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas, and to all God’s people who [meet] with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
Greet one another affectionately, but in a pure way, [when you gather together]. The [believers in] all the Christian congregations [HYP] [in this area (send their] greetings to/say they are thinking fondly of) you.
17 Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
My fellow believers, I exhort you that you beware of those people who are causing divisions among you and who cause people to turn away [from God] [MTY] [because they teach things that] are contrary to the message [about Christ] that you have learned (OR, that others taught you). Keep away from such people!
18 For those who are such don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
They do not serve our Lord Christ! On the contrary, they only want to satisfy their own desires [MTY]! Also, by all the eloquent things that they say [DOU] they deceive those people who do not realize [that their teaching is false].
19 For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.
[Believers] everywhere know that you have paid attention to [the good message about Christ], with the result that I rejoice about you. But I also want you to be wise, [with the result that you do] what is good. I also want you to avoid doing what is evil.
20 And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
[If you avoid people who teach what is false], what will [soon happen] [MET] [will be as though] God, who causes us to be peaceful, will be crushing Satan under your feet! [I pray that] our Lord Jesus will continue to act kindly towards you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.
Timothy, who works with me, and Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, who are my fellow Jews, [want you to know that they are] (sending their greetings to/thinking fondly of) you.
22 I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.
I, Tertius, [one who belongs to] the Lord, [also want you to know] that I am (sending my greetings to/thinking fondly of) you. [I am writing this letter as Paul tells me what to write for him].
23 Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.
I, [Paul], am staying in the house of Gaius, and the whole congregation [here meets] in his house. He [also wants you to know] that he is (sending his greetings to/thinking fondly of) you. Erastus, the treasurer of [this] city, also [wants you to know that] he is (sending his greetings to/thinking fondly of) you. Our fellow believer Quartus also (sends his greetings to you./says he is thinking fondly of you.)
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 Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, (aiōnios )
As [I] proclaim [the good message about] Jesus Christ, [I tell about God], the one who is able to strengthen you [spiritually]. I also proclaim the [truth] that was not revealed {which [God] did not reveal} in all previous ages/times (aiōnios )
26 but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; (aiōnios )
but which has now been {which [he] has now} revealed. [I, along with others, have proclaimed] what the prophets wrote [about Christ]. We are doing what the eternal God commanded [us(exc)/me to do]. We want [people in] all ethnic groups to know [Christ] so that they can believe [in him] and obey [him]. (aiōnios )
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen. (aiōn )
[I desire that by] Jesus Christ [enabling us, we] will forever praise the one who alone is God, who alone is [truly] wise. (May it be so!/Amen!) (aiōn )