Salute for me Priscilla and Aquila, my zealous fellow-labourers in the cause of Christ, who, to preserve my life, have exposed their own to the greatest danger; to whom not only I am thankful, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. which is in their house.g

Salute Epænetus, my beloved, the first convert in Asiah to the faith of Christ.

Salute Mary, who laboured much for us.

Salute Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen1 and fellow-prisoners, who are well known as devoted and laborious apostles, and who were converted to Christ before me.

Salute Amplias, my beloved fellow-Christian.

Salute Urbanus, our fellow-labourer in Christ's gospel, and my beloved Stachys.

Salute Apelles, that tried and approved Christian. Salute the believers, who are in the household of Aristobulus.

Salute Herodion, my kinsman.

Salute the Christians, who are in Narcissus'1 household.

Salute Tryphæna and Tryphosa, who are labourers in the work of the gospel.

Salute the beloved Persis, whose efforts in our Lord's cause have been great.

Salute that eminently Christian man Rufus, and her, who is at once his mother and mine.m

h That is, Proconsular Asia, the capital of which was Ephesus.

i Their relationship to the apostle is probably only to be understood of national connexion.

j When Andronicus and Junias were imprisoned with the apostle is unknown. Paul was v puλaraiç περισσοτέρως (in prisons more frequent). 2 Cor. xi. 23.

The word apostles is here to be understood in the lower and wider sense of the term. See Acts, xiv. 4, 14, where Barnabas is reckoned

as an apostle. See also 2 Cor. viii. 23, and Phil. ii. 25.

1

Narcissus, the well-known freedman and favourite of the Emperor Claudius, had been some years dead at the date of this epistle, and it does not seem probable that he can be meant here.

m It is, of course, only in a figurative sense that the apostle styles the mother of Rufus his mother, from her having shown motherly love towards him.

Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas," Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.

Salute Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. Salute each other with a holy kiss."

The churches of Christ salute

you.

17 Now, I beseech you, brethren, to beware of those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned: and avoid them. 18 For such persons are not serving our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly: and, by good words and fair speeches, they deceive the hearts of the simple.

19 For your obedience is known to all men. I rejoice, there

fore, on account of you. But I wish you to be wise respecting that which is good, and harmless respecting that which is evil. 20 Now, the God of peace will shortly bruise Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Suffer me, before I conclude, to address to you one word more of necessary caution and admonition. There are, as you well know, in many of the churches, and, possibly, in your own church, men who

n The Hermas here mentioned is supposed, by some commentators, to have been the author of the Shepherd.

See 1 Cor. xvi. 20; 2 Cor. xiii. 12; 1 Thess. v. 26; and 1 Pet. v. 14.

The kiss, as the natural expression of brotherly and sisterly affection, was, in the infancy of the church, the common sign of Christian salutation. The believers in Christ showed by it that they regarded themselves as members of the one family of God. It appears that it was usual to give to each other the kiss of peace before they partook

are

of the Lord's supper. 'When we have finished our prayers,' says Justin, in his Apology, i. 85, we salute each other with a kiss.' ('Aλλýλovs piλýμati ảoñalóμeða παυσάμενοι τῶν εὐχῶν.)

P The apostle means, of course, those Christian churches in Corinth and its neighbourhood which he had just visited, the members of which, learning from him that he was about to address a letter to the Roman believers, had expressed an interest in their welfare, and desired him to add their salutations to his

own.

seeking, for their own selfish purposes, to cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned. Such persons, whatever they may pretend, and however zealous they may seem, are not in reality serving the Lord Jesus Christ with a sincere desire to advance his cause; but, on the contrary, they are serving themselves, and hypocritically making use of the gospel to minister to their own corrupt appetites. But they are very plausible in what they say, and, by their good words and fair speeches, are often able to deceive the minds of guileless and unsuspicious Christians, who cannot penetrate beneath their disguise of godliness. Against all such wicked and dangerous persons it is my duty solemnly to warn you; and I earnestly beseech you, brethren, to beware of them and to avoid them. Should any such appear amongst you, shun them, as the most deadly enemies of the peace and happiness of your church."

a It is supposed, by some ex-wrought in Galatia especially with positors, that the words, rv didaχὴν ἣν ὑμεῖς ἐμάθετε (the doctrine which ye have learned), are an indication that it was from the disciples of Paul that the Romans first received the gospel.

r See Phil. iii. 18, 19.

• Olshausen thinks that the persons against whom the apostle here warns the Roman Christians had not yet made their appearance in the Roman church. 'It is not until here,' he remarks, 'quite at the end of the epistle, that we find a short admonition against divisions, couched in altogether general language, which may be referred to the Judaizing party which persecuted Paul everywhere, but which

so pernicious an effect. The circumstance of its being conceived and introduced so abruptly, and in such general terms, is most decisive evidence that the erroneous teachers in question did not actually exist in Rome; but that the apostle only wished to give a warning against them, with a view to the possible, and, unhappily, only too likely case, that they might make their appearance there also. The edict of Claudius, which still continued in force, and only by degrees fell into oblivion, was no doubt the only cause which had, until then, preserved Rome free from the opponents of the apostle.'

tractableness and Most fervently do I disposition of your

Brethren, I am the more emboldened to offer to you this salutary caution, because your obedience is well known to all men. You will, I feel sure, receive this warning with your accustomed willingness to attend to advice. rejoice to know that this is the minds. But I am not satisfied with rejoicing that you possess such a character for teachableness. I want you to be wise respecting everything which is good, and harmless respecting everything which is evil. It is to this union of wisdom and harmlessness that your teachableness ought to conduct you. Advance, then, towards perfection. Grow in the knowledge of what is good, and you will not be circumvented by the crafty arts of the wicked. Increase in harmless simplicity, and you will never be the cause of injury to your brethren."

wickedly interrupt it. And

Continue, then, in the happy course which I have thus marked out for you. Strive after holy peace, and shun all those who would comfort yourselves with the thought, that the God of peace will shortly bruise Satan under your feet." Steadily persevere in watching over the harmony of your church and resisting every effort to introduce discord; and, by the help of your God, who hates

t Compare Matt. x. 16.

u 'Use wisdom, in order that you may not be made the objects of injustice by others, and simplicity, in order that, on your part, you may not circumvent them.'-Ecu

men.

'I wish you to be so prudent as

not to be deceived, and so good, as not to deceive.'-Grot.

▾ God is here represented as the God of peace, in special contrast to Satan, the author of quarrels and confusion.

There is probably an allusion in these words to Gen. iii. 15.