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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Romans 16:17

Romans 16:17. Now, I beseech you, brethren. Comp. chap. Romans 15:30.

Mark them; note carefully. In Philippians 3:17, it is applied to those who are to be imitated.

Which cause, etc. The present tense indicates that such persons were doing this, but not necessarily at Rome.

Divisions and offences. The article (in the Greek) points to what is well known. The two words refer to divisions in churches and to temptations to depart from the gospel basis of faith and life. Others, with less reason, apply them to doctrinal divisions and moral offences.

Contrary to the teaching, etc. ‘Doctrine' may mislead; the reference is to the entire range of Christian truth. The commendation of their teachers implied here indicates that the church was founded mainly by Christians of the Pauline type.

Avoid thorn; lit. ‘turn off from them.' There is no reference to official excommunication, but to a rule of private conduct toward such. The other might follow, but that was for the local church to determine.

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See also Romans 16:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 17. _MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIONS_] Several MSS. read ασφαλως σκοπειτε, _look sharply after them_; let _them_ have no kiss of charity nor peace, because they strive to make _divisions_, and...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    NOW I BESEECH YOU - One great object of this Epistle had been to promote “peace” between the Jewish and Gentile converts. So much did this subject press upon the mind of the apostle, that he seems unw...

  • 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)

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

  • 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...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BESEECH. App-134. Compare Romans 12:8. MARK. to mark. See Luke 11:35. DIVISIONS. factions. Greek. _dichostasia_. Only here; 1 Corinthians 3:3.

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Special warning against certain teachers of error 17. _Now I beseech you_, &c. From this ver. to Romans 16:20, inclusive, we have a paragraph or section by itself. It contains a brief but earnest warn...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἈΔΕΛΦΟΊ. Cf. Romans 12:1; Romans 15:14; Romans 15:30; Philippians 3:17. ΣΚΟΠΕΙ͂Ν. ‘Keep an eye upon’; cf....

  • 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

    ΣΚΟΠΕΪ́Ν _praes. inf. act. от_ ΣΚΟΠΈΩ (G4648) наблюдать, намечать, исследовать (Т); "отмечать и избегать" (SH). _Inf._ как дополнение основного гл.: "Я прошу вас соблюдать" ΔΙΧΟΣΤΑΣΊΑ (G1370) раздел...

  • 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:...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. NOW I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIO...

  • 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...

  • 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

    OFFENCES] RV 'occasions of stumbling.' AVOID] RV 'turn away from.'...

  • 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

    (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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES. — Set traps in the way of the unwary, so as to entice them into false doctrine and schismatical practices....

  • 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)

    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...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    σκοπεῖν : to keep your eye upon, either as an example to be followed (Philippians 3:17), or (as in this case) as a peril to be avoided. τοὺς τὰς διχοστασίας καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα ποιοῦντας : both the person...

  • 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

    (2) Now I beseech you, brethren, (f) mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (2) As by describing by name those who were worthy of...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The apostle does not here say that these men caused scandals, contrary to the Scripture; but contrary to the doctrine delivered to them: this place, therefore, is an argument in favour of tradition. ...

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

    “ _Now I exhort you, brethren, to mark them which cause [the] divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and turn away from them. For these persons serve not Christ our Lor...

  • 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

    17._And I beseech you, etc. _He now adds an exhortation, by which all Churches have often need of being stirred up; for the ministers of Satan are ever ready to take occasion to disturb the kingdom of...

  • 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

    NOW I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN,.... The apostle being about to finish his epistle, and recollecting that he had not given this church any instructions about the false teachers, who had been the cause of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. Ver. 17. _Mark them which_] Set a watchful and a jealous eye...

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

    _Now I beseech_ Παρακαλω, _I exhort you, brethren, mark them_ Observe and point them out for the caution of others. The word σκοπειν, rendered _to mark_, signifies, to observe attentively and diligent...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    MARK; carefully notice. DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES; dissensions and occasions of strife. AVOID THEM; give them no countenance or encouragement....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    NOW I BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, MARK THEM WHICH CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENSES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YE HAVE LEARNED AND AVOID THEM....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A warning against false teachers:...

  • 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

    Mark - those who cause division among you Offenses contrary to the doctrine Avoid them - See 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 18 HERE IS THEIR TRUE NATURE: 1. Serve not the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Serve their...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    NOW. 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. 'Mark' -4648. skopeo skop-eh'-o;...

  • 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

    He shuts up the Epistle with a seasonable admonition, which he reserved to the last, that it might be the better remembered: it is, to beware of those that CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES. By the former,...

  • McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries

    Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions [in Corinth, Galatia, etc.] _and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned_ [from the brethren to whom I h...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    The First Epistle of Clement Concerning Virginity For these are they "who by good words and fair speeches lead astray the hearts of the simple, and, while offering them blessings, lead them astray."...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Romans 16:17 Now G1161 urge G3870 (G5719) you G5209 brethren G80 note G4648 (G5721) cause G4160 ...

  • 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...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Now I plead with you, brothers and sisters, mark those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned: and turn away from them.' The false teache...

  • 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...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    MARK (σκοπειτε). Keep an eye on so as to avoid. Σκοπος is the goal, σκοπεω means keeping your eye on the goal.DIVISIONS (διχοστασιας). Old word for "standings apart," cleavages. In N.T. only here...

  • 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

    WATCH OUT FOR THOSE WHO CAUSE DIVISIONS. SKOPEIN = watch out for, keep one's attention on. Paul is warning them against a danger which he has seen in other places, he may be thinking about: (1) the ci...

  • 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 1:10; 1 Corinthians 11:18; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Corinthians 5:9;...

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

    Divisions - offenses [τ α ς δ ι χ ο σ τ α σ ι α ς - τ α σ κ α ν δ α λ α] The article with each noun points to some well - known disturbances The former noun occurs only in Paul. Avoid [ε κ κ λ ι ν α...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Mark them who cause divisions — Such there were, therefore, at Rome also. Avoid them — Avoid all unnecessary intercourse with them....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. How our apostle takes his leave and farewell of the Romans, with an admonition to them to take heed of persons that were erroneous in doctrine, and scandalous in practice. 'Tis probab...

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Old Testament