Romans 15:16

Romans 15:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
• New International Version (NIV)to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Context of Romans 15:16

14My Christian friends, I myself am completely sure that you are always good. You know everything about God's message, so that you are able to teach one another what is right. 15I know that is true, but I still needed to write this letter to you. I have written to you strongly, so that you would remember certain things. Because God is kind, he has chosen me to serve him in this way. I am a servant of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles. I tell people God's good news. I work like a priest so that God will accept the Gentiles. I offer them to God. The Holy Spirit has made them clean and so God accepts them. 17So I can be proud about my work. I can serve God well because I belong to Christ Jesus. 18But I will only speak about the work that Christ has made me able to do. I have lived among the Gentiles and I have spoken God's message to them. They have obeyed God as a result of Christ's work through me.

Romans 15:16 word by word

εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Thatεἰςeis · towardG1519
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• should beεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• the ministerλειτουργόςleitourgos · ministerG3011
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• the Gentilesἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• ministeringἱερουργέωhierourgeō · to ministerG2418
• the gospelεὐαγγέλιονeuaggelion · gospelG2098
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• the offering upπροσφοράprosphora · offeringG4376
• might beγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• acceptableεὐπρόσδεκτοςeuprosdektos · acceptableG2144
• being sanctifiedἁγιάζωhagiazō · to sanctifyG37
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Romans 15:16

• Romans 15:18But I will only speak about the work that Christ has made me able to do. I have lived among the Gentiles and I have spoken God's message to them. They have obeyed God as a result of Christ's work through me.
• Romans 11:13Now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. God has sent me to be his apostle to the Gentiles. I thank him that he has given this important work to me.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go now to Saul! I have chosen him to work for me. He will go to those who are not Jews and to their rulers. He will tell them about me. He will also tell the people of Israel about me.
• Acts 13:2One day, the believers were meeting together. They were praising the Lord God and they were praying. They also fasted for a time. During that time, the Holy Spirit said to them, ‘I have chosen Barnabas and Saul to do a special work for me. Let them go now and do it.’
• Acts 22:21But the Lord said to me, “Go! I will now send you a long way away. You must go to the Gentiles and tell them my message.” ’
• Acts 26:17I will send you to speak about me to Jews and to Gentiles. Some of them will want to hurt you. But I will keep you safe.
• 1 Corinthians 3:5Is Apollos important? Is Paul important? No! We are God's servants. We told you God's good news and you believed it. Each of us is doing the job which the Lord has given to us.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1This is how you should think about us, who are leaders in the church. We are Christ's servants. God has also given a special job to us. We must explain his message to people so that they understand it.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20So we speak to people on behalf of Christ. It is like this: When we speak, God himself is speaking to you. On behalf of Christ, we say to you, ‘Please come back to God, as his friends!’
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they Christ's servants? I serve him even better than they do! (Now I am speaking like a crazy person.) I work much more than they have worked. I have been in prison more often than they have. People have hit me with whips very many times. I have nearly died many times.
• Galatians 2:7Instead they saw that God had given a special job to me. God wanted me to tell the good news about Christ to the Gentiles. In the same way, he had told Peter to tell the good news to the Jews.
• Ephesians 3:1That is why I pray for you. I, Paul, am in prison because I serve Christ Jesus. He has sent me to help you Gentiles.
• Philippians 2:17You believe in Christ, and you are his servants. That is like you are offering yourselves as a sacrifice to God. Perhaps I will soon have to die. Then my blood would be like drink that I am pouring on your sacrifice, to please God. So, if I have to die now, I will be happy. And we should all be happy together.
• 1 Timothy 2:7God chose me as his apostle, to tell this same message to people. I am telling you what is true. I am not telling lies! Yes, he sent me to teach his true message to the Gentiles, so that they would believe in him.
• 2 Timothy 1:11That is the same good news that God has chosen me to tell to people. He has sent me as his apostle to teach his message to people.
• Romans 15:29When I visit you, I know that Christ will bless us very much while we are together.

Commentaries on Romans 15:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Ministering the Gospel of God - ̔, Acting as a priest. Here is a plain allusion, says Dr. Whitby, to the Jewish sacrifices offered by the priest, and sanctified or made acceptable by the libamen offered with them; for he compares himself, in preaching the Gospel, to the priest performing his sacred functions - preparing his sacrifice to be offered. The Gentiles, converted by him and dedicated to the service of God, are his sacrifices and oblation. The…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16The minister - ̀ leitourgonThis is not the word which is commonly translated “minister” ́ diakonosThis word is properly appropriated to those who minister in public offices or the affairs of the state. In the New Testament it is applied mainly to the Levitical priesthood, who ministered and served at the altar; Hebrews 11:11. It is however applied to the ministers of the New Testament, as discharging “substantially” the same offices toward the church…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 The apostle was persuaded that the Roman Christians were filled with a kind and affectionate spirit, as well as with knowledge. He had written to remind them of their duties and their dangers, because God had appointed him the minister of Christ to the Gentiles. Paul preached to them; but what made them sacrifices to God, was, their sanctification; not his work, but the work of the Holy Ghost: unholy things can never be pleasing to the holy…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16a minister: The Greek word leitourgos means “servant” or “minister.” It can describe many kinds of service, but Jews often used it for priests. Paul likely chose this word to highlight the priestly nature of his work. so that the Gentiles: Paul emphasizes that the church in Rome included many Gentiles (see also 1:6–7). This does not mean there were no Jews in the church, but Gentiles had become the majority (see 16:3–16). become an offering acceptable to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. that I should be the--rather, "a" minister--The word here used is commonly employed to express the office of the priesthood, from which accordingly the figurative language of the rest of the verse is taken. of Jesus Christ--"Christ Jesus," according to the true reading. to the Gentiles--a further proof that the Epistle was addressed to a Gentile church. (See on Ro 1:13). ministering the gospel of God--As the word here is a still more priestly one, it…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 15:16

• Gospel
• Holy Spirit
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Regeneration
• Salvation
• Sanctification
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Holy Ghost
• Jesus Christ
• Minister
• Ought

Commentaries on Romans 15

• 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
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• 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
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings