Romans 1:14

Romans 1:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
• New International Version (NIV)I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.

Context of Romans 1:14

12that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also just as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to the uncultured, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:14 word by word

Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί·Read the interlinear

• I amεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• underὀφειλέτηςopheiletēs · debtorG3781
• bothτεte · and/bothG5037
• to GreeksἝλλην=ἝλληνHellēn · Greek, GentileG1672
• unculturedβάρβαροςbarbaros · barbarianG915
• to the wiseσοφόςsophos · wiseG4680
• and to the foolishἀνόητοςanoētos · foolishG453

Cross-references for Romans 1:14

• Romans 8:12So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--
• Romans 13:8Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the Law.
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
• Acts 13:2While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 22:21And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
• Acts 26:17rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you,
• 1 Corinthians 9:16For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, for I am under compulsion; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.
• 2 Timothy 2:10For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
• Acts 28:4When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.”
• 1 Corinthians 14:11So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible to me.
• Colossians 3:11a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, and free, but Christ is all, and in all.
• Romans 1:22Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
• Romans 11:25For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery--so that you will not be wise in your own estimation--that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
• Romans 12:16Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
• Romans 16:19For the report of your obedience has reached everyone; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil.
• Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants.

Commentaries on Romans 1:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians - It has been remarked before that all the nations of the earth, themselves excepted, were termed barbarians by the Greeks. See the origin of the word barbarous in the note on Acts 28:2; (note). The apostle considers himself, by his apostolical office and call, under obligation to preach the Gospel to all people, as far as the providence of God might open his way; for this is implied in the Divine…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14I am debtor - This does not mean that they had conferred any favor on him, which bound him to make this return, but that he was under obligation to preach the gospel to all to whom it was possible. This obligation arose from the favor that God had shown him in appointing him to this work. He was specially chosen as a vessel to bear the gospel to the Gentiles Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13, and he did not feel that he had discharged the obligation until he had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-15Verses 8-15 We must show love for our friends, not only by praying for them, but by praising God for them. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we must remember to say, If the Lord will, Jas 4:15. Our journeys are made prosperous or otherwise, according to the will of God. We should readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those who believe the same things with us…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14to Greeks and non-Greeks: The Greeks were proud of being educated and cultured. They often thought people from other cultures were inferior. They mocked the way foreigners spoke Greek, saying it sounded like “bar bar,” a meaningless sound. From this mockery comes the word barbarian (a person seen as uncivilized). Paul refers to this cultural divide to show that he wanted to preach the good news about Jesus to every kind of person.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. I am debtor both to the Greeks--cultivated and to the Barbarians--rude.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 1:14

• Barbarian
• Catholicity
• Minister, Christian
• Salvation
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Affection
• Barbarian
• Call
• Creation
• Dark
• Despiteful
• Faith
• Fall of man
• Gentiles
• Greek

Commentaries on Romans 1

• 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