ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Romans 16

Rom. 16:1–23 Paul warmly greets those he knows in Rome. He is able to say something specific about almost every person greeted.

Rom. 16:1 Phoebe probably brought this epistle to the Romans. servant. The Greek word can mean either “servant” (13:4; 15:8; 1 Cor. 3:5; 1 Tim. 4:6) or “deacon” (referring to a church office; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 12). Cenchreae. See note on Acts 18:18.

Rom. 16:2 Paul asks the church to assist Phoebe since she has helped so many. Phoebe served as a patron, probably offering financial assistance and hospitality to other believers.

Rom. 16:3 Prisca and Aquila. See 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Tim. 4:19. Prisca is called Priscilla in Acts 18:2–3, 18, 26.

Rom. 16:4 Perhaps Prisca and Aquila risked their lives when Paul was in danger in Ephesus (Acts 19:23–41; 1 Cor. 15:32; 2 Cor. 1:8–11).

Rom. 16:5 the church in their house. See note on 1 Cor. 16:19. Apparently a church met in the home of Prisca and Aquila. Asia here refers to a province in what is modern-day Turkey.

Rom. 16:7 Andronicus and Junia were probably a husband-and-wife ministry team. Most scholars now think that Junia was a woman, though some have argued that a man named Junias is in view (the spelling would be the same in Greek). The verse seems to be saying that Andronicus and Junia were well known to the apostles, not that Junia was herself an apostle. This passage also reveals that the couple was Jewish, had been imprisoned, and had become Christians before Paul.

Rom. 16:8–10 The people greeted in these verses are not mentioned elsewhere in the NT. The family of Aristobulus probably refers to the slaves in Aristobulus’s household. Some think Aristobulus is the grandson of Herod the Great (c. 73–4 b.c.) and the brother of Herod Agrippa I (10 b.c.–a.d. 44).

Rom. 16:11 The family of Narcissus refers to the slaves in Narcissus’s household. Some scholars think Narcissus was the wealthy freedman who served the emperor Claudius (a.d. 41–54). Nero’s mother, Agrippina, forced Narcissus to kill himself when Nero became emperor (a.d. 54).

Rom. 16:13 Rufus. Possibly the son of Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21). Apparently Rufus’s mother ministered significantly to Paul.

Rom. 16:16 Christians greeted one another with a holy kiss to show their warm affection (see note on 1 Cor. 16:20; also 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14).

Rom. 16:20 This is an allusion to Gen. 3:15.

Rom. 16:21 Those who are with Paul greet the Romans. Timothy is probably Paul’s most beloved coworker in ministry. Lucius is unknown. Jason is likely the same person named in Acts 17:5–7, 9. Sosipater is probably the same person as Sopater from Berea (Acts 20:4).

Rom. 16:22 Tertius functioned as Paul’s secretary for the letter. It was common for those writing letters in the first century to dictate to a secretary, but the content of the letter is clearly Paul’s.

Rom. 16:23 Gaius here is the Gaius of 1 Cor. 1:14. This supports the idea that the letter was written from Corinth. He was a man of some wealth, for he provided a place for the entire church to meet. It is difficult to know if Erastus is the person mentioned in Acts 19:22 and 2 Tim. 4:20.

Rom. 16:25–27 Final Summary of the Gospel of God’s Righteous­ness. Many of the themes in the introduction reappear in the conclusion.

Rom. 16:26 prophetic writings. The OT Scriptures (see 1:2).

Rom. 16:27 glory forevermore. God’s glory is to be the theme of Christians’ lives and the joy of their hearts.