Romans 15:20

Yea, so have I strived Better, But jealously striving so, &c. The "but" adds a qualifying additional fact; that his line and area of action were determined, in a measure, by his aim to work only in untouched regions. This is partly to explain why, with all his vast range of travel, he had not yet visited Rome. "Jealously striving:" the Gr. verb indicates an effort in which personal desires and principles are kept in view. St Paul made it a point of honourto be a pioneerin his missionary work; not with a selfish love of éclat, but because his devotion to his Master took this peculiar line, very probably under Divine suggestions.

lest I should build, &c. He avoided this, probably, both from consciousness of the vastness of untouched heathendom, and from scrupulous avoidance of needless discord on secondary points. For similar imagery, see 1 Corinthians 3:10.