THE GRACE OF JESUS BE WITH YOU, Dr. Samuel Lee
PAUL'S COWORKERS IN ROME
Passage: Romans 16:1~16  
Key verse: 1,2
Personal Greetings
16 I commend(A) to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae.(B) 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord(C) in a way worthy of his people(D) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.
3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila,(E) my co-workers(F) in Christ Jesus.(G) 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.(H)
Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert(I) to Christ in the province of Asia.(J)
6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews(K) who have been in prison with me.(L) They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ(M) before I was.
8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ,(N) and my dear friend Stachys.
10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.(O)
Greet those who belong to the household(P) of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.(Q)
Greet those in the household(R) of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.
Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus,(S) chosen(T) in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.
15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people(U) who are with them.(V)
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(W)
All the churches of Christ send greetings.
Footnotes
- Romans 16:1 Or servant
- Romans 16:1 The word deacon refers here to a Christian designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
- Romans 16:3 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
- Romans 16:7 Or are esteemed by
Cross references
- Romans 16:1 : S 2Co 3:1
- Romans 16:1 : Ac 18:18
- Romans 16:2 : Php 2:29
- Romans 16:2 : S Ac 9:13
- Romans 16:3 : S Ac 18:2
- Romans 16:3 : S Php 2:25
- Romans 16:3 : ver 7, 9, 10; Ro 8:1, 39; 1Co 1:30; 2Co 5:17; Gal 1:22; 5:6; Eph 1:13
- Romans 16:5 : 1Co 16:19; Col 4:15; Phm 2
- Romans 16:5 : 1Co 16:15
- Romans 16:5 : S Ac 2:9
- Romans 16:7 : ver 11, 21
- Romans 16:7 : Col 4:10; Phm 23
- Romans 16:7 : S ver 3
- Romans 16:9 : S ver 3
- Romans 16:10 : S ver 3
- Romans 16:10 : S Ac 11:14
- Romans 16:11 : ver 7, 21
- Romans 16:11 : S Ac 11:14
- Romans 16:13 : Mk 15:21
- Romans 16:13 : S 2Jn 1
- Romans 16:15 : ver 2; S Ac 9:13
- Romans 16:15 : ver 14
- Romans 16:16 : 1Co 16:20; 2Co 13:12; 1Th 5:26; 1Pe 5:14
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
1. Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila, and Epenetus (1-5)
Paul concludes his letter with personal greetings, words of encouragement and a benediction. He greets the people who had shared in his gospel work throughout the Empire, and who were now in Rome. Phoebe was the bearer of this very important letter. She had been a great help to many people, especially to Paul and he instructs the Church to welcome her warmly and supply all her needs. Priscilla and Aquila's house church was a missionary church. They were Jews, but they wholeheartedly participated in the ministry to Gentiles. They were self-supporting laymen and fruitful one-to-one Bible teachers (Acts 18).Epenetus' conversion brought hope that all Asia could be reached for Christ.
2. Hard-working women and others (6-16)
Paul recognized the women who worked hard making an environment for gospel work-Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis. He acknowledges two outstanding apostles (missionaries) who were his seniors. He encourages them all to show the affection of Christ to one another (16).
Prayer: Lord, help me to receive others in the Lord and to encourage all those who work hard for you.
One Word: Welcome one another with affection