Greetings
1I recommend to you our sister Phoebe, deaconess of the church of Cenchreae. 2Please receive her in the name of the Lord, as it should be among brothers and sisters in the faith, and help her in whatever is necessary, because she helped many, among them, myself. 3Greetings to Prisca and Aquilas, my helpers in Christ Jesus. 4To save my life, they risked theirs; I am very grateful to them, as are all the churches of the pagan nations. 5Greetings also to the church that meets in their house. Greetings to my dear Epaenetus, the first in the province of Asia to believe in Christ. 6Greet Mary, who worked so much for you. 7Greetings to Andronicus and Junias, my relatives and companions in prison; they are well known apostles and served Christ before I did. 8Give greetings to Ampliatus, whom I love so much in the Lord. 9Greetings to Urbanus, our fellow worker, and to my dear Stachys. 10Greetings to Apelles, who suffered for Christ, and the family of Aristobulus. 11Greetings to my relative Herodion and those in the household of Narcissus, who works in the Lord’s service. 12Greetings to Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who toil for the Lord’s sake. 13Greetings to Rufus, elected of the Lord, and his mother who was a second mother to me. 14Greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers and sisters staying with them. 15Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, Olympas and all the holy ones in Christ Jesus with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send their greetings.
A warning
17 ① Brothers and sisters, I beg of you to be careful of those who are causing divisions and troubles in teaching you a different teaching from the one you were taught. Keep away from them, 18because those persons do not serve Christ our Lord, but their own interests, deceiving with their soft and entertaining language those who are simple of heart. 19Everybody knows that you are very obedient, and because of that I am happy, but I want you to be sensible in doing good and firm against evil. 20The God of peace will soon crush Satan and place him under your feet.
May Christ Jesus, our Lord, bless you. 21Timothy, who is with me, sends you greetings, and so do Lucius, Jason and Sosipatros, my relatives.
22I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, send you greetings in the Lord.
23Greetings from Gaius, who has given me lodging and in whose house the church meets. Greetings from Erastus, treasurer of the city, and from our brother Quartus. ( 24)
25Glory be to God!
He is able to give you strength, according to the Good News I proclaim, announcing Christ Jesus.
Now is revealed the mysterious plan kept hidden for long ages in the past.
26By the will of the eternal God it is brought to light, through the prophetic books, and all nations shall believe the faith proclaimed to them.
27Glory to God, who alone is wise, through Christ Jesus, for ever! Amen.
- Rom 16,17 Brethren, I beg of you to be careful. There is no letter of Paul without this warning against divisions and against those who preach a different Gospel. The doctrine of the Church is the doctrine of the apostles, the witnesses of Jesus. There is a hierarchy, that is, a legally constituted authority, and Paul demands obedience in matters of faith. The last sentence is a prayer of thanksgiving to God. It is similar to another prayer, more developed, with which he begins the letter to the Ephesians.
