Romans 16

I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

1I want you to know Phebe, our sister. She serves the church in the town of Cenchrea.

2That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

2Welcome her, because she belongs to the Lord. Treat her the way God's people should. Help her with anything she needs. She has helped many people, and she helped me too.

3Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

3Say hello to Priscilla and Aquila. They work with me in serving Christ Jesus.

4Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

4They risked their own lives to save mine. I thank them. So do all the churches of people who are not Jewish.

5Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

5Say hello to the church that meets in their house. Say hello to my dear friend Epaenetus. He was the very first person in Achaia to trust Christ.

Note"Firstfruits" is a farming word for the first part of a harvest. Here it means Epaenetus was the first person there to believe.

6Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

6Say hello to Mary. She worked very hard for us.

7Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

7Say hello to Andronicus and Junia, who are from my family. They were in prison with me. The apostles, the men Jesus sent out to teach, think highly of them. They followed Christ before I did.

8Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

8Say hello to Amplias. I love him, and we both belong to the Lord.

9Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

9Say hello to Urbane, who works with us for Christ. Say hello to my dear friend Stachys.

10Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus’ household.

10Say hello to Apelles. He has shown that he truly belongs to Christ. Say hello to everyone in the household of Aristobulus.

11Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

11Say hello to Herodion, who is from my family. Say hello to the people in the household of Narcissus who belong to the Lord.

12Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

12Say hello to Tryphena and Tryphosa. They work hard for the Lord. Say hello to dear Persis. She has worked very hard for the Lord.

13Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

13Say hello to Rufus, whom the Lord chose. Say hello to his mother. She has been like a mother to me too.

14Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

14Say hello to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, and Hermes. Say hello to the believers who are with them.

15Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

15Say hello to Philologus and Julia, to Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas. Say hello to all of God's people with them.

16Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

16Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ say hello to you.

NoteA kiss on the cheek was a normal, friendly hello between people back then, like a handshake or a hug today.

17Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

17Now I ask you, my friends, to watch out for certain people. They split you apart and trip you up. They teach things that do not match what you learned. Stay away from them.

18For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

18People like that do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ. They only serve their own wants. They use smooth, pleasant words to fool people who trust too easily.

NoteThe King James Bible says these people serve "their own belly." That means they only care about pleasing themselves.

19For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

19Everyone has heard how well you obey God, and that makes me glad. But I want you to be wise about what is good. I want you to stay clean of what is evil.

20And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

20God, who gives peace, will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

21Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

21Timotheus, who works with me, says hello. So do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, who are from my family.

22I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

22I am Tertius. I am the one writing this letter down. I say hello to you as one who belongs to the Lord.

23Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

23Gaius says hello. I am staying in his house, and the whole church meets there. Erastus, who takes care of the city's money, says hello. So does our brother Quartus.

24The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

24May the kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

25Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

25God is able to make you strong. He does it through the good news I tell about Jesus Christ. That good news is a plan God kept hidden since the world began.

26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

26But now God has shown that plan clearly. The prophets wrote about it long ago. Prophets were people who told others what God said. God, who lives forever, said to make it known to every nation, so people everywhere would trust and obey him.

27To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

27God is the only wise God. Give him glory forever through Jesus Christ. Amen.