Keraia
Romans 16

Romans 16:12

Personal Greetings and Love · Romans 16:1–16
Read Romans 16

Translations

Modern
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.
Traditional
Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.
Literal
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those toiling in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who toiled much in the Lord.
Latin
Salutate Tryphænam et Tryphosam, quæ laborant in Domino. Salutate Persidem carissimam, quæ multum laboravit in Domino.

Original

Greek
English
Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.

Notes

Romans 16:3–16

Although Paul had not yet visited the Christian community in Rome, he built a relationship with these believers by greeting many of them by name. The names show that the Roman church was very diverse. Jews and Gentiles, enslaved people and free people, men and women all formed a new community in the church (see Galatians 3:26–29).

Romans 16:1–16

Paul greeted twenty-seven Christians in Rome, ten of whom were women. This shows that women played important roles in the early church.

Paul had not yet visited Rome. This has led some people to wonder how he knew so many Christians there. One idea is that chapter 16 was part of a different letter that Paul sent to Ephesus. However, there is no strong manuscript evidence for a separate letter (see study note on 15:33). A more likely explanation is that Paul met these Christians while they were traveling outside Rome (see Romans Book Introduction, “Setting”).

Romans 15:14–16:27

This final section includes elements often found at the end of New Testament letters:

Only the warning about false teachers is a non-standard feature in this conclusion (16:17–19).

Theme notes and profiles

Paul (Saul) The Roman Church

People

Persis: Female Christian in Rome greeted by Paul Tryphaena: Christian woman in Rome greeted by Paul Tryphosa: Christian woman in Rome greeted by Paul

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Caesar’s Household Church Meetings Hebrews, Letter to the Latin Letter to the Romans Nero Paul the Apostle Persis Rome (City) Saints Tryphaena, Tryphena Tryphosa

Topics

All Christians should be As Missionaries: Various Individuals Love: Exemplification of the Love of Man for Man Persis: A Christian Woman in Rome Rome: Christians In Tryphena: A Christian Woman in Rome Tryphosa: A Christian Woman in Rome