Romans Chapter 16
The Expression Bible

Personal Greetings

16:1 Now
> Before I end this letter, first let me just say a few things about those of whom are with you and point out to you my acknowledgement of them and some of there attributes, that make them heroes of faith to me, and should to you also. They are like character sketches of the soul, watch what I say of them and you will gain insight and see yourself in one of them.
I commend
> Let me introduce to you a person who is upstanding in her own community, due to her life that she has dedicated to our Lord.
to you our sister Phoebe,
> She is a Christian of our faith and an expert at imitating the Lords example in us as one who puts Christ and the church first in her life.
who is a servant
> She would rather aid others in their quest to know Christ, then take any personal credit for having done so, which is the hallmark character that reminiscent of one dedicated to Christ first.
of the church in Cenchrea,
> Her home church is in the sea-port of Cenchrea, of Corinth, which is where she comes to you from.

16:2 so
> The reason I am telling you this is so that you have a confidence in her, concerning the ways that the church is to be served, and the way to organize that process thru her.
that you may
> I want you to feel at ease knowing that say is one of the best there is and will have a positive influence on you, with that having the affect of making you comfortable with her.
welcome her in the Lord
> With that, make her feel at home and let her feel well received in your hospitality to her, because when you receive her well, it is like receiving our Lord also. Because that is the right way to treat each other, as though they were the Lord in your presence. As that is what Jesus taught us and could you imagine the life change in all of us, if that is how we all behaved.
in a way
> So have that attitude in you and who could complain of any of your actions as being misguided, when you have treated them as well as Jesus, which would please him also.
worthy of the saints
> Give her a high status among you, one of honor and respect that you would normally reserve for dignitaries. Because that is what believers are, those of the highest possible calling before God. Every believer is a patriarch in Gods kingdom, with a high calling that is more respectable than any earthly kingdom.
and provide her
> So seeing as she has come to you to help out in benefiting you and the state of your church, furnish her with the supplies to function, uninhibited in that role for you.
with whatever help
> Make sure that there are other people from among you that work with her in the task that are at hand, don’t think of her as a hired help, but a fellow labor in Christ.
she may need from you,
> Let her decide the need, rather then just giving her something to make do with, or press her to some side issue, to pacify her away from what you want to focus on.
for she
> This is no ordinary women, she could be a CEO and then some, you should see her resume.
has been
> The place she has been and the things that she has pioneered would make any man humble.
a great help to many,
> She has insight that is uncanny, in fact you might just say that there is a little dove whispering in her ear, if you catch my allusion to her being filled with the Holy Spirit, which enables her to cut to the chase of what is needed.
including me
> I have also have been a recipient of her rewards, and to have such a one honor and promote you as she has to me, is nothing short of privilege in my book, so feel honored by her presence.

16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila,
> Say hello from me to both Pricilla and Aquila her husband, both of whom are Jews who live there in Rome with you now but came to me from Corinth to now Christ, that is I know them from.
my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
> They are true labors with me for the body of Christ, they have taken up the cause to help the church for the glory of God. They are partners with me in every sense of the word and know what it means to fully live your life for Christ.

16:4 who risked
> Because they have put it all on the line and did not consider their own lives as any value, apart from knowing Christ as their first love. So they have ventured everything they have to know the glory of Christ in them. Because they know that it is the only way for them of getting beyond this earthly body and its limits, which is to exist in the glory of Christ body that lives beyond our daily constraints. So for them if they had ended up a distant memory to them in the church for their stand for Christ. It would only mean that their spirits have gone where their hearts already are, with Christ.
their own necks
> They would have not saved themselves if it became necessary, for their mission that they saw was from God, was to promote the work of our Lord, even if it meant the forfeit of their own lives. They saw beyond this life and into the eternal state that they have now in Christ. Eternity is a present realty to them; it is a mind set, not wishful thinking.
for my life.
> They did this on my behalf, which is cause for the great affection that I have for them. I have not forgotten the risk that they took for me, which almost cost them their lives here on earth.
Not only I,
> And I’m not the only ones who considers them heroes of the faith, this has been a way of life for them, because they see themselves as living dead to the world. That is, they see themselves as having already died to this world and already alive in Christ’s eternity. They are not waiting to die in this flesh to live for Christ; they are doing it right now. They are living examples of what it means to be sold-out-Christians, in the face of adversity and peril. Because they have already discounted this life in every facet, apart from being alive for Christ, they consider their flesh already dead and their Spirit-eternally-alive. Which is the active state in them now, they are not putting off the future to some point down the road; their eternity with Christ is now.
but all the churches
> So because of this observation by others in the church, they are giving everyone a personal lesson of how to overcome the flesh, with the Spirit of life. They are modeling for us that which Christ wants us to be and all the churches have taken note of it, big time.
of the Gentiles
> Because even though they are Jews, they have dedicated themselves to the ministering of the gentile churches. To which they all watch them even more intently, knowing the division that previously existed, before Christ united all people of the world in the body of the church.
are grateful to them.
> So they are thankful to them for their example and the personal sacrifices that they have made to aid the gentile church. Because they have graciously shared themselves with them and did not withhold any good thing that they had.

16:5 Also
> Here is what they are made of, they don’t say "not in my backyard" when it comes to the way we should welcome fellow believers, no, not at all. They are sponsors of the church itself; their neighborhood is their mission field. They have placed themselves into the figure of Christ body, by embedding the church into the home in which they live. They have made themselves indistinguishable from the church body in that they are part and parcel to it. They see no dividing line where church life ends and private life begins, as what is common thinking among most. Rather they have incorporated all of it into one existence, and have not placed one as a clothe to wear one day, only to take it off, to put on another way of themselves on another day. They live with one conviction for everyday and everywhere, they are known and dressed in only one robe. Which is Christ covering for them, in all that they do, which is the glory of God upon them.
greet the church
> So I would like you to say hello to the members of their home church on my behalf if you could, they are fortunate to be part of two outstanding individuals who are so open with their lives. I hope that they are taking the example they are setting, to heart in their own lives.
in their house.
> In fact, they demonstrate their commitment to Christ, in that they are already trying to move heaven into their own home, by having the church meet there. I mean, watch what these two do and imitate them, if you want heaven on earth too. Let the church in to the point, that it pushes that old world right out of you and brings heaven into your present day life. Don’t wait to get to heaven when you die, live their right now by surrounding yourself with the church body, just as they are doing. I’m not saying that having the wear and tear of people in your life is always easy, but the only thing more difficult with the continuous surrounding of the church, is no church body at all. Where your home is void and empty of Gods presence, thru his people.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus,
> How to I express to you my feelings for someone like Epenetus, he has been so close to me in all that I do. He saw what I was doing first hand and we have struck up and enduring friendship every since. There is something special in the comradely of those who have personal knowledge together, of the history of events, just because they were there when it all began. We share a fraternity of understanding thru experience, which is a result that only life together produces, we know each other with a look that tells it all.
who was the first convert
> You see, God began in him a greater work by establishing the foothold of Christ in him. He was the first to one to come to Christ when I came to them preaching the gospel. He was the seedling that God planted faith in, so that it could grow into a fully functioning body of believers. Which it now is and that is what we share together, we were there together and were witnesses to its beginning and that makes him special to me.
to Christ in Asia.
> Because that whole area is now being exposed to the transforming power of the gospel of Christ, which is in the region of Asia and is spreading out from there and it all had its beginning in Epenetus. So do not belittle the importance of your place in Christ, he can do the same thru you, but you may not know from the basics of its beginning, but once growth takes place, it is the Lord at work.

16:6 Greet Mary,
> Be sure to acknowledge Mary in your midst, it is good for you to remember those who are exceptional at what they do, because their heart is so much in it.
who has worked
> She did not shrink from godly responsibilities, even if they were difficult to manage, she stuck with them in her efforts to do Gods will.
very hard for you.
> Because she has put her back into the things that God has given her to do, we became the beneficiaries of it. You and me both have had our stresses relived, because she wanted to be in on Gods work, what a woman to remember and emulate.

16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,
> Tell Andronicus and his wife Junia that I am thinking well of them in my thoughts.
my compatriots
> For they are related to me as fellow Jews, which gives richness to their meaning to me, due to our history together as Jews. Where we were once bondservants of the law, we are now free from that, but are now bondservants of grace, which in meaning is; being forcibly liberated from the slavery of sin, by being made prisoners of Christ, where sin has no claim over us.
and my fellow prisoners.
> In addition, not only are we related as Jews, but also we experienced life together as prisoners for the word of God that we would not be silent for. When we lived in freedom, we did so for Christ and we lived as prisoners for him also. So you should be partners with them also, because you know that they have been tested already, they will not retreat from the word of God, because they know it is the power to live, no matter your circumstances.
They are well known
> You always know someone is an exceptional person, when those who are at the top of their game, are awe struck at the mention of their name. That is the case with these relatives of mine. It is natural of course, for new believers to look up to seasoned veterans of the faith, with respect for how far they are along in their maturity in Christ. But it is a whole other reality of who they are, when other seasoned veterans yield attention to them, out of respect for whom they are in the midst of Christ glory around them.
to the apostles,
> Because the veterans that acknowledge these two are the very Apostles of Christ. Those who were with Christ and chosen by Christ to do the work they are doing. Moreover, they would get up and let them sit down in their chair, if they came into a crowded room. So that is who you have in your midst, two people who have the deep respect of the Apostles.
and they were in Christ before me.
> In addition, just so you know, their history in living for Christ predates my own conversion to Christ. They were serving Christ, while I was prosecuting the church in trials. That I should then end up in prison with them, for the same thing I was doing to others, was poetic justice.

16:8 Greet Ampliatus,
> I want to say hello to a friend of mine named Ampliatus, and I want to say it simply, because anything else would be more than he requires and embarrass his quite soul, who is shy before man, but quite outspoken in the sight of our Lord. Because he speaks with his action for me, more than with his prolonged words, which are few.
my dear friend in the Lord.
> I can not over estimate the meaning of having true friends in the Lord, who want nothing more from you than that very friendship that they have with you. It lets you start over everyday like it is a fresh start, no matter the previous day’s trials. That is whom this man is to me, a friend to the end, never complex or superficial, every word with him has meaning, that only him and I relate to. Sometimes it is the fewest words that he says that means the most to me, but you won’t understand what I mean, until you have a friend like him. Then, you will need no explanation of it; I’ll leave it at that, as I accept his companionship wholeheartedly.

16:9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ,
> Tell Urbanus that I said hello, it is always good to know that there are other men like him laboring for the gospel of Christ. The more people we have like him, who are willing to take up the cause of the cross on a daily basis, the sooner we will all reach a full life in Christ together throughout our communities.
and my good friend Stachys.
> Convey the same thing to Stachys for me, there will never be enough men like them to carry on the Lord’s work.

16:10 Greet Apelles,
> Tell Apelles that I said hello and that I am aware of his strong character.
who is approved in Christ.
> He has a reputation that precedes him, because he has been tested, for him it is all about Christ. Which is something that we all take to lightly, it is easy to talk boldly for Christ in the midst of fellow believers, but living for Christ amidst the wicked, takes a man like him, whose character is the same regardless of his surroundings.
Greet those who belong
> I would like you to say hello to an entire family for me, I know them all, but I’ll greet them in the name of their father Aristobulus.
to the household of Aristobulus.
> I love to see entire families who have come to Christ as the focus of their unity together. Family members are very diverse in personality and gifts, but when they are all in Christ, their focus shifts from them to Christ. Who unites them in a manner that they could not have imagined.

16:11 Greet Herodion, my compatriot.
> Say Hello to Herodion, a fellow Jew who is of my own heritage.
Greet those in the household of Narcissus
> Say Hello to the Romans who live in the home of Narcissus, they are serving our Lord together.
who are in the Lord.
> They are building their new heritage in life, on that of faith in Christ our Lord.

16:12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord.
> These two Women Tryphena and Tryphosa, have done well in our Lord, in the work they have done, so send them my greetings.
Greet my dear friend Persis,
> Say Hello to Persis, a woman who is very close to me, I love her very much for her faith.
who has worked hard in the Lord.
> She has understood the task that we endeavor on together, putting in a full effort as I do myself. Which is why she is beloved to me; our love is based in Christ and our service to him.
16:13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord,
> Say Hello to Rufus, who was hand picked by our Lord to do part in the church. His actions predate the church, in that being chosen, he was elected ahead of time, for what he is currently doing.
and his mother who was also a mother to me.
> Be sure to tell his mother that I said hello, she always brings out the helpless kid in me, because of the way she mothers me. Nothing wrong with that, but if I stay around her too much; I could get very comfortable with her compassion.

16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas,
> Say Hello to Asyncritus; one who is incomparable,

This is to name just a few of those by name that are Gentiles with you.
and the brothers and sisters with them.
> This goes for all of them in that group, there are too many to name individually, but they should all know that they are like family to us.

16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia,
> Say Hello to Philologus; as his name implies, he is one who loves to learn and is now a student of our Lord, include with him Julia; a woman whose name declares the beauty of her hair and her covering the Lord, both Gentiles in the Lord.
Nereus and his sister,
> To Nereus; whose name declares him one who shines and is prepared with good soil for our Lords use, a Gentile of recognition, as is his sister also.
and Olympas,
> To Olympas; whose name is like unto the Heavens, and whose heart now knows the truth of one God and one Heaven that is our Lords.
and all the believers who are with them.
> Extend trough them then are greetings to those that are in their church, meeting with them, as they are trusting in Christ with them to know God.

16:16 Greet one another
> Let me say here, that the way that you act in seeing one another, will show the depth of your true relationship to each other.
with a holy kiss.
> When you come together, in should show itself in the true affections that you have for one another. If your greetings are no more than that of an acquaintance, than that is all you are. Read definitions into what you see among you, for they tell the true nature of that which you are in meaning to one another.
All the churches
> I am here among many believers myself, who are all aware of you and that of the faithful among you.
of Christ greet you
> So we who are also in this new way, send you this Holy kiss, as if we were their with you.

16:17 Now I urge you,
> One other thing that I need to make sure you know, and because of its severity, please pay close attention to what I say and follow it without fail.
brothers and sisters,
> All of you are like family to me and as a leader in this church, it is my responsibility to warn you when it is necessary of danger.
to watch out
> Because of that, take notice of anyone who is not receiving our word, as though it were not from the mouth of God himself. Look to see if they have a rebellious nature against us, if they do, they are not Gods.
for those who create dissensions
> Your enemies in the Lord, do not want you united in your faith, so that you will be ineffective in your witness. So to counter that, you need to be observant of that which you are doing in league with others, or outsiders. Some may just appear mischievous in their encounters with you, but others may actually be organizing with evil intentions among you. Wanting to divide your family ties to one another, by making you take issue with your fundamental beliefs.
and obstacles
> Others may actually try to construct from nothing, an accusation of scandal to tear you apart. Leaving you vulnerable to attack from the enemy whom is seeking to destroy you. The enemy wants to lead you into sin, to come with them and have a share in its temporary pleasure. Causing the church to take discipline against you, or even refuse your fellowship with them.
contrary to the teaching
> If they tell you to disregard our teaching, or that it does not apply to you, than they are deceiving you. If they tell you that what I have instructed and the others who have written scripture like me, is not binding on you, or that it is just opinions of men, they are liars.
that you learned.
> There is power behind our teachings, which are beyond the human ability to manuscript them in such harmony and unity. That is why you are students yourselves of our teachings, because there is power in it. Power beyond the human mind or just nice thinking, it is God speaking and you know it to be true. So, nail it down as the only truth you will accept, and if it does not adhere with scripture, fully, not just as verse here or there, but in the full teaching of Gods word, reject it as truth.
Avoid them!
> In so doing than, reject them as believers, staying away from them in so far as it has to do with internal church functions. In life, you may have to see them, but do not make plans to go with them or share in their personal lives, apart from that which life requires. Just because they invite you somewhere, does not mean you have to go there with them.

16:18 For these are the kind
> The base nature of this kind of people, is that of a sorted people. Not those of good reputation in all that they do, but that of ulterior motives. They plan ahead or look for opportunities too pat you on the back, only so that they can set you up for the intentions of doing you some harm.
who do not serve our Lord Christ,
> That which their loyalties are based, is not that of our Lord Christ and to his glory. They are self-severing individuals or are pawns of satan, who are seeking to deny you your place in the family of God.
but their own appetites.
> What drives them on, is to satisfy the hunger of the sinful flesh that wants more of itself, at the expense of others. It is a deep-rooted lust in them for power over others, where they find gain in themselves, not in labors and reward. Rather, they lift themselves up, by tearing others down to their level. Then, having done so, they consume them as disposable people, having no more use for them.
By their smooth talk
> Their method though, would appear to be just the opposite. They have no issue with telling you all sorts of made up lies, just to butter you up, and make it all very appealing for you to take up with them. Not that it will all be a bundle of lies, the most deceiving and effective lies, are wrapped in just enough truth to make them sound legitimate and desirable. They are none the less though, doing nothing more than placing bate over a trap door, to entrap you as nothing more than their prey, ready for their consumption.
and flattery
> They will tell you how great is you wisdom over others, especially over those of us who have written scripture. They will tell you that you are as great as any other is, and who would not like to be so acclaimed? However, remember that, those of us in the Lord, are in it for his glory, so that we may be lifted up with him as we exist in him. Not apart from his glory, this is what they are presenting to you to do. In being self-identified as an authority, that overrides all of scripture, in what is their desire to use you.
they deceive the minds
> Their goal is not to lift you up, but rather to set you up for their abuse of you. They want to seduce your thinking away from the glory of Christ, and put it on your own profit in something, which is really for their profit in the end though. They will call you a master, but only so long as it takes to make you one of their slaves. Remember though, to them you are irrelevant, what they really are after, is to deny the glory of Christ in them and you. No matter whatever they say, do or shape the package of their intentions, their goal is to deny Christ glory.
of the naive.
> Not everyone is educated at the same level or even has the same common sense of things in life. Because of that, these people will target them that are less able to defend against their slick arguments, and seek them out as easy prey. Some people are just trusting to a fault and that makes them susceptible to an unexpected attack from them. It’s not that they don’t see the danger; they just don’t have it in them to be rude, so you need to step in on their behalf for them.

16:19 Your obedience
> The fact that you are so dedicated and sold out to Christ is evident. It demonstrates that you have learned what it means to live in the body and not just among the body. Your dedication is not just superficial, and your beauty in the church is not just skin deep. You have depth to your relationships, first to Gods holiness and way, as the only truth, then, to one another in establishing that truth.
is known to all
> Everyone in the church is talking about you in a good way, they are watching and hoping for your success, because they know that ultimately, it leads them into victory also. When people have mentors like yourself to mimic, you become pioneers to the whole church to learn from. We are all in this together; those who are seeking as our part in agreement with God, Christ glory alone. There are no enemies among them, who are seeking to live in the truth of Christ; you are all students of the Apostles, just as we are students of Christ. Receiving and giving out instructions, as they are revealed to us all, thru Gods established chain of authority in the church.
and thus I rejoice
> Because of that, I am grateful and am saying to you all, job well done! Thank you for making it all look so easy, even though I know from personal experience that all of you have labored in the Lord to get it right.
over you.
> You were never flip over that which you choose to engage yourselves in proactively, or in restraining yourselves, in using prevention as a method, over taking a cure after the fact, but gave things careful consideration and deliberation among yourselves.
But I want you
> Of course, I am not going to stop in my responsibility of encouraging you, just because you have come into this fame in the church, which is springing from your obedience in Christ. This is just the beginning, not the end, the pathway has been forged and laid out by you, now we must wear it in good and wide for everyone to follow. You are pioneers in this with us, making all things new, not bringing up the rear at the end of things.
to be wise
> So now I am going to spur you on to the next level, in that, there is more to Christ than just momentary achievement in him and his word. It is a never-ending adventure, where we are continually given more exposure to the glory of living in him. The experiences that you will have in that process will teach you your new nature to live by. That will make you than observant to goes on around you, helping you to decipher between that which is good and evil. From that, store up what you have learned from your experiences with God and share it with one another, to give them understanding from it. Therefore, in the end, it is a combination of learning beforehand from others what is sensible, trusting in them to lead you, and Gods direct interaction with you, to train you in wisdom, as you relate both back to his written word.
in what is good
> What I am saying in essence hear, is that which is beneficial for the glory of Christ, is not only the right thing to do, but the best thing to do for yourself also. It is the beneficial thing to do, because you are the body of Christ and what is good for the body is best for you. Therefore, as you put into practice you new nature, that means that you have a new basis by which you set your standards to live by. In Christ, there is not just one bar, by which you judge everyone to live by in self-comparisons, because Christ is the standard bar above us all. Rather you bring each other along, one lesson after another, keeping grace as your standard to empower you too the standard of Christ.
and innocent in
> At the same time of your being proactive in knowing Christ, there is an opposing method you should employ in things that are not of Christ glory. You begin by simply having no knowledge of it, in that, in some instances, ignorance is truly bliss. It is not necessary for you to experience evil, in the same way that you experience Christ glory, in that, it is not beneficial for you to do evil. There is no wisdom in understanding evil or any of its ways; it will not make you stronger, only weaker. In a way of understanding this, you would not ask the devil how to be good, whose goal is evil, you would ask God how to be good. If you want to make you marriage last, don’t ask someone who has failed at it multiple times, what not to do based on their experience that led them failure, trying to avoid failure by preventing the wrong. Rather, ask a couple who has succeeded abundantly in marriage, what too do, to achieve their hope. That is where the right answer lies, focusing on the positive things too do, to overcome that which will come upon you that is negative. Be ignorant of evil and overcome evil with good, proactive love will achieve what building walls of prevention will not.
what is evil.
> So what to do with evil that we already know about? Abandon it to its own demise; let it exist separately from you. There is no rescuing evil from itself, it must die its own death under Gods judgment. That is why God says that there is no good thing in the flesh and that is why it has been replaced with a new body, which is eternal and permeated with his glory, absent evil. You see it is the practice of God to abandon evil and allow it to have no share in glory. His only engagement with evil is in confrontation with it, to demonstrate for the record, its total depravity and uselessness.

16:20 The God of peace
> First know that God is not bent on endless battles and warring against evil, he does not have to prove himself, too himself. This battle with evil is too set the record straight before his creation and leave no doubt that he is sovereign and righteous. This he does out of his grace and mercy towards the faithful creation, both angelic and human. God is by nature, at rest with himself, there is no division or counter thinking to who he is as God and what are his attributes. It is for our benefit that he does battle with evil, if he chose too, he could speak it out of existence forever, which he will one day do in essence, by banishing it forever from his presence. That is probably too simple a statement on his dealings with evil and its eternal state, but incorporates it sufficiently in my mention of it in the context, of speaking on Gods peace, as being the main point here.
will quickly
> When God moves, it is sudden and decisive to do that which he is intending to do. God’s plans are fulfilled according to his plans, and when he does, you will experience the peace of Gods victory in your life. Remember that God is working thru us by choice, for our benefit. Therefore, we must be a part of what he is doing to experience it. Spectators walk away with nothing and no prize, only those who participate in the events have profit from it. Your profit will be the peace of God, thru victory in him.
crush Satan
> Knowing that the devil is only there to prove a point and that is the only reason God allows his existence. The devil is doomed to destruction, Jesus the rock of ages, whose weight of power will smash the devils power so completely, the weight of that destruction will be immovable from upon the devil and his demons. While at the same time, that weight of destruction, that is immovable from off the devil, with that same rock, God lifts the weight of sin from off of mankind, allowing man to attain heaven in the life of Christ. Therefore, the devil is left destroyed and powerless, and you have immeasurable gain in Christ.
under your feet.
> As I have already stated, God is incorporating you in this process for your benefit, making you participants with the reward of victory. That is why you have labors, but they are not acts of laboring-in-vain. Every labor in God comes with the glory of God more revealed in you, which takes you above your prior state and that is something that human achievement cannot attain.
The grace of our Lord Jesus
> Out of this insight, may you find the rest in God, which exists in him by nature of who he is. In accordance with that which he is giving to you in your measure of grace, to serve in that capacity he desires you to be in. All of which comes to us, because of our having one Lord, who is savior over all mankind, that is trusting in him to do so.
be with you
> Allow that grace of God to move in you without resistance to it, have your association in life, be founded in your life in his grace. Let his grace be the succession of everything you go thru, make your position in life, that which is an accompaniment of grace. Let it be that which moves you or keeps you, where your state in life is.

16:21 Timothy,
> I think most of you probably know who Timothy is, seeing as we are known together as a team. He is like my son in Christ and one whom has my support.
my fellow worker,
> He is a true labor in Gods kingdom, taking on more than he thinks he can handle, but has my confidence that he will succeed in that which he does in the Lord.
greets you;
> He wants me to send his acknowledgment of yourselves in a greeting, that he is thinking of you also in the sending of this letter.
so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my compatriots.
> Along with him in greetings is Lucius; whose name declares him as a Jew who is luminous and white, one of my relatives.

Sosipater: whose name declares that he will carry on the honor and defend his father’s name, which is my relative and lives in Berea.

16:22 I, Tertius,
> Let me interject here for note to you, my name is Tertius, whose name declares that I am third, I am a Roman Christian as yourselves.
who am writing this letter,
> I am the one who is writing down what Paul is saying in this letter to you, so that you are better able to read it. His handwriting is not so good, so I do it for him as my ministry to God.
greet you in the Lord.
> I just wanted to add my Hello to all of you my kinsman in Rome, and acknowledge my faith in God to you in that greeting.

16:23 Gaius,
> A leader Gaius: whose name declares him to be a man of the world, a lord over things. I baptized this man myself, and he has made quiet a reputation for himself in the church.
who is host to me
> He has taken me in as a guest in his home, this is not the last you will hear about this man.
and to the whole church,
> Not wanting to exclude anyone, he holds church in his home here, his hospitality is remarkable, and brings glory to our God.
greets you.
> In this, he greets you also, conveying agreement with you in the Lord’s work, thru his greeting.
Erastus the city treasurer
> Also Erastus: whose name declares him lovely and amiable, who works as the city accountant, a person of great responsibility, he knows the pressures in life, and puts his trust in our Lord.
and our brother Quartus
> Then there is Quartus: whose name declares him to be fourth, he is a Christian brother, that you may be acquainted with already.
greet you.
> Both of them send the greeting along in this letter to you.

16:25 Now
> Having concluded with all the greeting to you from us, it is time for me to have my final say to you. I want to do that by acknowledging the reason we are here and what is the basis for us to exist as we do.
to him who is able
> There is only one name in all of heaven and earth that God has rendered all authority too over creation. It is that name then, that has at its disposal to do what he wills with all of our lives. All conclusions rest on him, not on us. It is his opinion that carries the day, and determines the outcome. Man or evil forces as a grant did not give it to him, but he took it from creation in a war that he won, and as he said on the cross, "It is finished!" So no one can wrestle it from him, in that, the war for mans destiny is over.
to strengthen you
> Because of that, he does as he wills to establish holiness in you and those who would resist, are unable to. Even in resisting we the saints, they must bend to our will in the end, despite their struggle to hold on. Because Jesus has given us authority over them, and with that comes the power to overcome by his word.
according to my gospel
> The words in this letter, are meant to be relied upon, studied, established and held in reverence as the word of God, concerning that which Jesus did in redeeming man from sin. I have the authority to put this in writing by Christ himself and if anyone is in Christ, he must come to the acceptance of that truth, as he must also with any other truth he learns from God. My telling of Gods plan of salvation, is the word of God itself.
and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
> When I preach the gospel, either by written word or in the gathering of people, they are receiving from me, the word of God, saying that Jesus is the Christ who was to come as the Messiah of the world. That is me on message, that is the point of the cause and for myself, that which I do.
according to the revelation
> It does not though have its basis in me, as I am just the conduit of that which God has now showed us and given us insight and understanding too. There were things in prior times that man just did not understand, in that God, though he had told us thru the prophets long ago concerning them, we did not understand their meanings until now. God is now though revealing everything about his salvation plan to us in the gospel message.
of the mystery
> The whole plan of Gods intention too rescue mankind from sin, by way of offering his son as a sacrifice for us, was just incomprehensible to mankind, until it was done. Then after the fact, it just stunned those who trusted in God, what he did completely apart from our involvement in it.
that had been kept secret
> That was then, and this is now, everything that was classified as confidential, has been declassified for our understanding and examination of it, for our full involvement in it now, was it made known to us.
for long ages,
> God never let anyone in on the secret, until after the fact, he wrote about it, but hid the meaning of it from us. This is how it was from the beginning of time that God planned our salvation.

16:26 but now is disclosed,
> God not wanting his plan of salvation to be an enigma to the minds of the people, he is sending messengers to explain it and point it out to them, just as he did to the Apostles. An example of this is the Ethiopian traveler who was reading out of Isaiah, but did not understand what it was referring to, so God sent a disciple to explain it to him. That is what God is doing all over the world.
and through the prophetic scriptures
> The old testament is full of the predictions of the coming of Jesus, known as the Messiah, that would save mankind and set up an eternal kingdom for himself. Now we can study them and find that Jesus was fulfilling them in his life, death and resurrection. However, at the time, we were clueless as to what was going on, I was there but I just did not get it.
has been made known
> God has certified and proved his word true, by showing his sovereign power over time and events. In that what he declared in writing thousands of years ago, he caused to have happen, despite the war with evil in both the demonic and human condition. Now, he in his continuing grace towards those who might receive his offer of rescue, he is patiently explaining it to every generation since, one person at a time, so that they have the opportunity to come into his salvation.
to all the nations,
> The hopeless condition of mankind is as if, all the world were adrift in the ocean, individually just treading water, being battered by the waves, until they are all eventually pulled under. Jesus then not willing that any should perish is going to each in a ship of rescue, passing by them with hope and the message of salvation. All they have to do is recognize that which he is and cry out to him, "save me", and he would reach out and pull them into the safety of his ship. It would seem so obvious to us that everyone should cry out to him in their hopeless state. However, so hopeless is the draw of disobedience in the hearts of mankind that most will ignore him, even though he is the only hope that will ever appear to save or could save them.
according to the command
> All of this happened by decree, it that because the words of God have power, his decree alone, that these things should happen, caused them to occur just as he decreed them too. The reason behind his actions was grace and mercy, but the enforcement was by decree, and the realization of it was by force, through his conquering life, death and the resurrection. God took back mankind through shear power, no one gave it to him or yielded control of it to him, he took it away from the devil in an act of war.
of the eternal God,
> This shows that God is independent of all creation, that every created thing, whether visible or invisible to man. Is under his boundless power to oversee and to speak that that will occur into or out of existence. God created the time and the boundaries of man, as limits for man, but he exists outside of them. He is who rules over them, secures them to be in existence, and assures that they hold true until time ends. Time is a creation, not a natural state of God, it is not an attribute of his that describes him, God is absent of time.
to bring about
> All of Gods decrees in this, was so that he could return man to the intimate fellowship that he had with mankind before in the Garden of Eden. Where man did not hide himself before God or attempt to cover his sinful state with fig leaves, because then, man was absent sin and its rebellion before the fall. This was an act of restoration on Gods part, doing for mankind, what was beyond their own ability to do.
the obedience of faith-
> That mode then that God would use to restore mankind, was not a return to physical perfection in the flesh. But was to an adherence of trust in him alone, in acknowledging that he alone was able to save man, and then by obeying and staying true to that faith, as a mode of belief in God, despite whatever. Therefore, faith in Christ having saved us, became the mode by which man is reunited to Gods personal fellowship. We merely recognized our desperate condition upon seeing Christ offer of rescue, and cried, "Save me Lord", and he did.

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