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The gospel’s verses

Romans 16:25

My gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ

  • The gospel’s word εὐαγγέλιον euangelion · gospel
In a plain lamp-lit room, men and women, old and young, a slave boy and a merchant in travelling clothes stand in a wide ring, most seen from behind, their hands raised in praise around a low table where a sealed, tied letter lies.
People in a house in Corinth at evening raising their hands in praise, a sealed letter on the table among them

Original

Rom 16:25

Translations

BSB

Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past

KJV

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

LSV

And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, having been kept secret in the times of the ages,

개역한글

나의 복음과 예수 그리스도를 전파함은 영세 전부터 감취었다가

흠정역

나의 복음과 예수 그리스도를 선포함에 따라 권능으로 너희를 굳게 세우실 분 즉 세상이 시작된 이래로 은밀히 간직되어 왔으나

Commentaries

  • Matthew Henry on Rom 16:25-27 as a whole

    That which establishes souls, is, the plain preaching of Jesus Christ. Our redemption and salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, are, without controversy, a great mystery of godliness. …

    Read the whole commentary →

  • Wesley Rom 16:25

    Now to him who is able - The last words of this epistle exactly answer the first, chapter i. 1 - 5: Ro 1:1 - 5: in particular, concerning the power of God, the gospel, Jesus Christ, the scriptures, the obedience of faith, all nations. To establish you - Both Jews and gentiles. …

    Read the whole commentary →

Note

Romans ends in praise. Verses 25–27 are a single sentence of doxology in Greek. It begins "Now to Him who is able to strengthen you" and ends "to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen" (Romans 16:25–27). In between, Paul names the measure by which God strengthens his people: "by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ" (Romans 16:25).

The noun stands in the accusative after κατά with μου, "my gospel", the phrase of 2:16 (Romans 2:16). Beside it stands , proclamation: Paul's gospel is the proclaiming of Jesus Christ. "Strengthen" is , the very thing Paul said he longed to come and do, to impart some spiritual gift "to strengthen you" (Romans 1:11). What Paul hoped to do in person, the doxology gives back to God.

The gospel also goes with "the revelation of the mystery", of a , kept in silence through long ages (a perfect passive participle), "but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith" (Romans 16:26). The words of 1:2 and 1:5 return. The letter opened with the gospel "promised beforehand through His prophets", and it closes with the obedience of faith among all nations.

The versions word the sentence a little differently. The King James Version has "to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began". The BSB's "by my gospel" treats the gospel as the means by which God strengthens; the KJV's "according to my gospel" keeps the Greek κατά, which names the standard the strengthening accords with. The LSV keeps the KJV's shape, with "the revelation of the secret".

The doxology does not stand in the same place in every manuscript. The great fourth-century codices have it here at the end of chapter 16; many later manuscripts place it at the end of chapter 14 (which is why the original-language data also numbers it 14:24); some have it in both places; and one of the oldest papyri of Paul's letters has it after chapter 15. The KJV and the BSB both print it here.

Wesley notes that "The last words of this epistle exactly answer the first" Wesley, and lists the echoes: "the power of God, the gospel, Jesus Christ, the scriptures, the obedience of faith, all nations" Wesley. Matthew Henry writes: "That which establishes souls, is, the plain preaching of Jesus Christ" Matthew Henry; and "the gospel is revealed, not to be talked of and disputed about, but to be submitted to" Matthew Henry.

Romans begins and ends with the gospel. At the start Paul was set apart for it; at the close God strengthens those who hear it by it. And sixteen chapters of argument end not in argument but in praise, which says something too about how this letter holds the gospel.