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

14I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. 15Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.

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 15:18Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.
• Romans 11:13I am saying all this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I stress this,
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
• Acts 13:2One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”
• Acts 22:21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”
• Acts 26:17And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles
• 1 Corinthians 3:5After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
• 1 Corinthians 4:1So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
• 2 Corinthians 11:23Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
• Galatians 2:7Instead, they saw that God had given me the responsibility of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as he had given Peter the responsibility of preaching to the Jews.
• Ephesians 3:1When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . .
• Philippians 2:17But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.
• 1 Timothy 2:7And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.
• 2 Timothy 1:11And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News.
• Romans 15:29And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time 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