A Family of Faithful Servants
A long list of greetings that doubles as evidence — Phoebe carrying the letter, Prisca and Aquila who risked their necks, Junia noted among the apostles, Mary and Persis who worked hard. One warning about smooth talkers, and our Father of peace crushing Satan.
16 1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2so that you may welcome her in the Lord as befits our Father's people, and help her with whatever she needs from you—she has supported many, myself included.
3Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who risked their own necks for my life—not only I thank them, but all the Gentile churches do too. 5Greet also the church gathering in their home. Greet my dear Epaenetus, firstfruit of Asia for Christ. 6Greet Mary, who has worked hard among you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews and fellow prisoners, notable among the apostles and in Christ before me. 8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all our Father's people with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17Brothers and sisters, I urge you: watch for those causing division and obstacles, against the teaching you learned, and turn away from them. 18For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, deceiving the unsuspecting's hearts with smooth talk and flattery. 19Your obedience has reached everyone, so I rejoice over you; but I want you wise about what is good, innocent about what is evil. 20Our Father of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet; our Lord Jesus Christ's grace be with you. a a v20 The promise that the enemy will be crushed under your feet reaches all the way back to the first promise in the garden — our Father always meant to defeat the serpent and bring his children home.
21Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews. 22I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23Gaius, host to me and the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus also greet you. b b v23 The earliest manuscripts do not have a verse 24 here; later copies add: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
25Now to him who can strengthen you—by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, by the revealing of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through prophetic writings, by command of our eternal Father, to bring all nations to the obedience of faith, 27to our only wise Father, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever! Amen. c c v27 Paul's closing praise rises to our Father — the only wise God — and it travels through Jesus Christ, the one who opened the way home.
