Keraia
Romans 16

Romans 16:5

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

Translations

Modern
Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
Traditional
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
Literal
…and the church at their house. Greet Epenetus, my beloved, who is the firstfruit of Asia for Christ.
Latin
…et domesticam ecclesiam eorum. Salutate Epænetum dilectum mihi, qui est primitivus Asiæ in Christo.

Original

Greek
English
Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

Notes

Romans 16:5

the church that meets at their house: Early Christians did not have large buildings for their meetings. Instead, they met in private homes. The church in Rome was made up of a number of house churches where small groups of believers gathered for worship and instruction.

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).

People

Epaenetus: A believer in Asia and beloved by Paul Jesus: The Son of God and Savior of the world

Places

Achaia: A Roman province in southern Greece, including Corinth Asia: A Roman province in western Asia Minor

Glossary

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

Topics

Achaia: Paul Visits All Christians should be As Missionaries: Various Individuals Epenetus (Epaenetus): A Friend of Paul House used for Worship Love: Exemplification of the Love of Man for Man Rome: Christians In The First Fruits: First Converts in Any Place Worship in Private Homes