Romans 16:18

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 greet you. 17Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive. 19Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 20The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Romans 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• they that are suchτοιοῦτοςtoioutos · such as thisG5108
• serveδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• notοὐou · noG3756
• ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• their ownἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
• bellyκοιλίαkoilia · belly/womb/stomachG2836
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• byδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• good wordsχρηστολογίαchrēstologia · smooth talkG5542
• fair speechesεὐλογίαeulogia · praiseG2129
• deceiveἐξαπατάωexapataō · to deceiveG1818
• the heartsκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
• of the simpleἄκακοςakakos · innocentG172

Cross-references for Romans 16:18

• Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters, for 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 God and money.
• John 12:26If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
• Galatians 1:10Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!
• Philippians 2:21Others are busy with their own concerns, not those of Jesus Christ.
• Colossians 3:24because you know that you will receive your inheritance from the Lord as the reward. Serve the Lord Christ.
• James 1:1From James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings!
• Jude 1:1From Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, wrapped in the love of God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.
• Revelation 1:1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon. He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John,
• 1 Samuel 2:12The sons of Eli were wicked men. They did not recognize the Lord’s authority.
• Isaiah 56:10All their watchmen are blind, they are unaware. All of them are like mute dogs, unable to bark. They pant, lie down, and love to snooze.
• Ezekiel 13:19You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!
• Hosea 4:8They feed on the sin offerings of my people; their appetites long for their iniquity!
• Micah 3:5This is what the Lord says: “The prophets who mislead my people are as good as dead. If someone gives them enough to eat, they offer an oracle of peace. But if someone does not give them food, they are ready to declare war on him.
• Malachi 1:10“I wish that one of you would close the temple doors, so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord who rules over all, “and I will no longer accept an offering from you.
• Matthew 24:48But if that evil slave should say to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’
• Philippians 3:19Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about 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

• Company
• Deceit
• Doctrines
• Hypocrisy
• Minister, Christian
• Strife
• Words

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Jesus Christ
• Apostle
• Belly
• Commend
• Mark
• Romans, Epistle to the

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