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Romans 16:19

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

For your obedience - your tractableness, or readiness to be led (as the close of the verse seems to show is the meaning here),

Is come abroad unto all. (The supplement "men" had better have been left out.)

I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple - `harmless,' as in Matthew 10:16, from which the warning is taken,

Concerning evil, [ eis (G1519)] - rather, 'unto evil' (as in the former clause): q.d., 'Your reputation among the churches for subjection to the teaching ye have received is to me sufficient ground of confidence in you; but ye need the serpent's wisdom to discriminate between transparent truth and plausible error, with that guileless simplicity which instinctively cleaves to the one and rejects the other.'

Encouragement and Benediction (Romans 16:20)

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See also Romans 16:19 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 19. _FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD_] The apostle gives this as a reason why they should continue to hear and heed those who had led them into the path of truth, and avoid those false teacher...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE ... - Romans 1:8. Your mild, obedient disposition to learn, and to obey the precepts of the teachers of religion. I AM GLAD ... - I rejoice that you evince such a disposition. But...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 16 _ 1. Greetings to Individuals. (Romans 16:1 .)_ 2. Warning and Comfort. (Romans 16:17 .) 3. The Final Salutations. (Romans 16:21 .) 4. The Conclusion. ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A POSTSCRIPT OF ADMONITION. Romans 16:17. Supposing the paragraph in its right place (see Introd. § 4), it would seem that Paul, in glancing over his letter and thinking of the troubles of other churc...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    Brothers, I urge you to keep your eye on those who, contrary to the teaching which they have received, cause dissensions and put in your way things which would trip you up. Steer clear of them. Such m...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    A LETTER OF COMMENDATION (Romans 16:1-2)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    COME ABROAD. Greek. _aphikneomai._ Only here. AM GLAD. rejoice. See Romans 12:12. ON... BEHALF. App-104. YET... HAVE. I wish you indeed to be. WOULD. App-102. WISE. See Romans 1:14. GOOD. the go...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For your obedience_, &c. This verse is sometimes explained q. d., "You are known to be singularly _docile;_a good thing in itself, but which may be abused by these false teachers: therefore see that...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΓᾺΡ justifies his appeal to them and what they had learnt. Ἡ—ὙΠΑΚΟῊ. Their response to the teaching—obedience; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:5; above Romans 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8. ἈΦΊΚΕΤΟ (on

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Warning against mischief-makers and disturbers of the peace. The grace. 17–20. A brief but pointed warning against teachers, who under fair seeming introduce divisions and offences. The fundamental s...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΆΦΊΚΕΤΟ _aor. ind. med. (dep.) от_ ΆΦΊΚΝΈΟΜΑΙ (G864) достигать, доходить, затем добираться до (RWP). ΕΊΝΑΙ _praes. ind. act. от_ ΕΙΜΊ (G1510) быть. _Inf._ как дополнение основного гл. ΑΚΈΡΑΙΟΣ (G185)...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1927 PRACTICAL WISDOM RECOMMENDED Romans 16:19. _I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly_...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _TEXT_ Romans 16:17-27. Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. Romans 16:...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    __ Paul's Intended Journey 28 During Paul's first three ministries the nations were dependent on Israel, and received of their spiritual things. Hence they were indebted to them and sought to pay by...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    16:19 reached (c-5) i.e. 'come to the knowledge of.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    GREETINGS AND WARNINGS 1-16. Commendation and greetings. Observe the number of women to whom the Apostle sends greeting. The fact is indicative of the change wrought in the position of women by the g...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FOR] i.e. 'But they ought not to deceive you, for,' etc. SIMPLE] i.e. harmless: cp. Matthew 10:16....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    PAUL’S LETTER TO THE *ROMANS ROMANS _HILDA BRIGHT AND KEITH SIMONS_ CHAPTER 16 PERSONAL GREETINGS Sometimes a church leader may seem very strict when he *preaches. There are some very serious ma...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    No harm has been done as yet. Still it is well to be upon your guard. SIMPLE CONCERNING EVIL. — This is not at all the same word as that which is translated “simple” above. The first is that freedom f...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (17-20) Here the Epistle would naturally end, but an afterthought occurs to the Apostle, His experience of other churches, especially those at Corinth and in Galatia, suggests to him that he should wa...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 32 A COMMENDATION; GREETINGS; A WARNING; A DOXOLOGY Romans 16:1 ONCE more, with a reverent license of thought, we may imagine ourselves to be watching in detail the scene in the house of Gai...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἡ γὰρ ὑμῶν ὑπακοὴ : What is the connection? “I give this exhortation, separating you altogether from the false teachers, and from those who are liable to be misled by them; for _your_ obedience (ὑμῶν...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Warning against false teachers. This comes in very abruptly in the middle of the greetings, and as it stands has the character of an after-thought. The false teachers referred to are quite definitely...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    RECEIVE HELPERS: SHUN HINDERERS Romans 16:17 Those who cause divisions on obscure points of doctrine are to be avoided, lest they lead us away from the fundamentals. We need to be wise in heavenly w...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the salutation twenty-six persons are named. Two-thirds of these names are Greek, which, in all probability, are names of persons the apostle had actually known in his work in Asia. Phoebe was spec...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (3) For your obedience is come abroad unto all [men]. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you (h) wise unto that which is good, and (i) simple concerning evil. (3) Simplicity mus...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “ _For the report of your obedience is come abroad unto all; I am glad therefore on your behalf.But yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil._ ” This verse...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    In the First Epistle to the Corinthians, the apostle, after a passage of salutations, Romans 16:19-21, stops all at once to address to the church, as in the form of a postscript, a solemn warning (Rom...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (18) For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, b...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The circumstances under which the epistle to the Romans was written gave occasion to the most thorough and comprehensive unfolding, not of the church, but of Christianity. No apostle had ever yet visi...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    19._Your obedience, _(481) _etc. _This is said to anticipate an objection; for he shows that he did not warn them, as though he thought unfavorably of them, but because a fall in their case was such a...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Never having known the Roman Christians as an assembly, Paul sends many personal salutations. This was the link which subsisted. We see how touchingly his heart dwells upon all the details of service...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD UNTO ALL MEN,.... That is, as the Arabic and Ethiopic versions render it, "the fame" and report of their obedience to the faith, to the doctrine of the Gospel, and th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For your obedience is come abroad unto all _men_. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. Ver. 19. _For your obedience,...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _For_, &c. As if he had said, This exhortation I give you, to preserve you in the way in which hitherto you have walked, to the credit of the gospel: _for your_ ready _obedience_ and conformity to it,...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD; the report of your obedient disposition and conduct. WISE-AND SIMPLE; ready and skillful to do good, but unpractised in and opposed to doing evil. In doing good, Christ...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A warning against false teachers:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD UNTO ALL MEN. I AM GLAD, THEREFORE, ON YOUR BEHALF; BUT YET I WOULD HAVE YOU WISE UNTO THAT WHICH IS GOOD, AND SIMPLE CONCERNING EVIL....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    COMMUNICATIONS, GREETINGS AND CLOSING This chapter has a character peculiar to itself; and being a fifth subdivision of the last division (Chapter s 12 to 16) of the book, we may expect in some sense...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    There is thin line to walk A. Be wise to what is good. B. Be simple (not suspicious) concerning evil. 20 God will take care of Satan. See Genesis 3:15...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    SIMPLE: Or, harmless...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD UNTO ALL MEN.. REJOICE THEREFORE OVER YOU: BUT. WOULD HAVE YOU WISE UNTO THAT WHICH IS GOOD, AND SIMPLE UNTO THAT WHICH IS EVIL. 'obedience' -i.e. to the doctrine....

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE IS COME ABROAD UNTO ALL MEN: q.d. As for you, your ready embracing of the gospel, and conformity thereunto, is generally taken notice of by all that mind such things: see the like,...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil. [I warn you, for your obedience and...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria The Instructor Book I On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children,...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Romans 16:19 For G1063 your G5216 obedience G5218 known G864 (G5633) to G1519 all G3956 Therefore G3767 glad...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘For your obedience is come abroad to all men. I rejoice therefore over you, but I would have you wise to what is good, and simple to what is evil.' In contrast to the teachers who ‘serve not our Lord...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    4). FINAL GREETINGS (16:1-27). We now come to the close of the letter. This final chapter divides up into three subsections: 1) Final greetings and exhortations (Romans 16:1). 2) Exhortation to bew...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNING AGAINST FALSE TEACHERS AND THE FINAL TRIUMPH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (16:17-20). That this warning comes at the end of the letter rather than in the main part suggests that such false teacher...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Romans 16:19. FOR YOUR OBEDIENCE, etc. ‘Obedience' to the gospel, obedience of faith, is meant, as throughout the Epistle. Because of their well-known obedience, he does not class them among the ‘guil...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    3. _Closing Exhortation, with Greetings from Various Persons._ The warning of this section (Romans 16:17-20) indicates, not the presence of false teachers at Rome, but rather the danger of such person...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    III. CONCLUDING PORTION OF THE EPISTLE. This part of the Epistle may be divided into four sections, (1) Personal explanations, similar to those in chap. Romans 1:8-15 (chap. Romans 15:14-33). (2.) Gre...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    IS COME ABROAD (αφικετο). Second aorist middle indicative of αφικνεομα, old verb, to come from, then to arrive at, only here in N.T.OVER YOU (εφ' υμιν). "Upon you." Simple unto that which is evil...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The outflow of Christian love. Closing salutations and benediction. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Paul, many of the gospel helpers, Satan. CONCLUSION: Courtesy and Christianity go together. Ackn...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Romans 16:1. _I commend to you Phebe a servant of the church._ Διακονον, a _deaconess_ of the church _at Cenehrea,_ the eastern port of Corinth, where Paul shaved his head, that he might be purified o...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    EVERYONE HAS HEARD OF YOUR LOYALTY. "You are such loyal Christians that you should not be fooled by such as these false teachers!" BUT INNOCENT. Compare Philippians 2:15-16....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions._ A CAUTION AGAINST SCHISMATICS I. Their character described. They-- 1. Cause divisions. 2. Occasion offences. 3. Pervert doctrines....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    ROMANS—NOTE ON ROMANS 16:1 Paul warmly greets those he knows in Rome. He is able to say something specific about almost every person greeted. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Romans 16:17.—No argument here for tradition or the inquisition. For even common people may discern true doctrine from false. We must seek for light on God’s revealed word. _MAIN HO...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ROMANS 16:1 K. _Commendation of Phoebe, and salutations to Christians at Rome._ ROMANS 16:1, ROMANS 16:2 I co

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Chapter 16 is just personal greetings to many of those in Rome. We are going to go rather rapidly through it, just pointing out a few things. First of all, Paul, commends unto you Phoebe our sister,...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 14:20; 1 Kings 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:3;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Simple [α κ ε ρ α ι ο υ ς]. See on harmless, Matthew 10:16....

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But I would have you — Not only obedient, but discreet also. Wise with regard to that which is good — As knowing in this as possible. And simple with regard to that which is evil — As ignorant of this...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    As if the apostle had said, "I do not accuse you, but advise and warn you only;. acknowledge that you the Christians at Rome are famous for your obedience to the apostolical doctrine, and that you wal...

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