Berean Standard Bible
Romans 16:18
18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Romans 16:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For 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.
- New International Version (NIV)For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Context of Romans 16:18
16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings. 17Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. 20The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Read all of Romans 16Romans 16:18 word by word
οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Χριστῷ οὐ δουλεύουσιν ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν κοιλίᾳ, καὶ διὰ τῆς χρηστολογίας καὶ εὐλογίας ἐξαπατῶσιν τὰς καρδίας τῶν ἀκάκων.Read the interlinear
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- such peopleτοιοῦτοςtoioutos · such as thisG5108
- are notοὐou · noG3756
- servingδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
- ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- theirἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- appetitesκοιλίαkoilia · belly/womb/stomachG2836
- ·καίkai · andG2532
- Byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- smooth talkχρηστολογίαchrēstologia · smooth talkG5542
- flatteryεὐλογίαeulogia · praiseG2129
- they deceiveἐξαπατάωexapataō · to deceiveG1818
- heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- naiveἄκακοςakakos · innocentG172
Cross-references for Romans 16:18
- Matthew 6:24No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
- John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
- Galatians 1:10Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- Philippians 2:21For all the others look after their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
- Colossians 3:24because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.
- Jude 1:1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who are called, loved by God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ:
- Revelation 1:1This is the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants what must soon come to pass. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John,
- 1 Samuel 2:12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they had no regard for the LORD
- Isaiah 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber.
- Ezekiel 13:19You have profaned Me among My people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to My people who would listen, you have killed those who should not have died and spared those who should not have lived.
- Hosea 4:8They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
- Micah 3:5This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths:
- Malachi 1:10“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
- Matthew 24:48But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’
- Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
Commentaries on Romans 16:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18They - serve not our Lord Jesus - They profess to be apostles, but they are not apostles of Christ; they neither do his will, nor preach his doctrine; they serve their own belly - they hate intruded themselves into the Church of Christ that they might get a secular support; it is for worldly gain alone that they take up the profession of the ministry: they have no Divine credentials; they convert not the heathen nor the ungodly, for they have no Divine…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Serve not - Obey not. Though they are professedly, yet they are not his real friends and followers. But their own belly - Their own “lusts;” their own private interests; they do this to obtain support. The authors of parties and divisions, in church and state, have this usually in view. It is for the indulgence of some earthly appetite; to obtain function or property; or to gratify the love of dominion. And by good words - Mild, fair, plausible speeches…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-20Verses 17-20 How earnest, how endearing are these exhortations! Whatever differs from the sound doctrine of the Scriptures, opens a door to divisions and offences. If truth be forsaken, unity and peace will not last long. Many call Christ, Master and Lord, who are far from serving him. But they serve their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. They corrupt the head by deceiving the heart; perverting the judgments by winding themselves into the affections…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-27This final section includes elements often found at the end of New Testament letters: a discussion of travel plans (15:14–29), requests for prayer (15:30–33), references to ministry partners (16:1–2, 21–23), greetings (16:3–16), and a short hymn of praise (16:25–27). Only the warning about false teachers is a non-standard feature in this conclusion (16:17–19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ--"our Lord Christ" appears to be the true reading. but their own belly--not in the grosset sense, but as "living for low ends of their own" (compare Php 3:19). and by good words and fair speeches deceive the simple--the unwary, the unsuspecting. (See Pr 14:15).Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 16:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Romans 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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