Romans 16: Greetings to the Jews and gentiles

Paul sends greetings to Jews (Herodion, Andronicus and Junias) and many gentiles as for instance Phoebe, from the church at Cenchrea - a port in Corinth. Probably, Paul was writing the letter from Corinth and sent it to the Romans by Phoebe; thus Phoebe had to be welcomed in a house in Rome. Paul asked the church to treat her well.
There were others with Paul, including Jews such as Jason and Sosipater.


17-18 One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They’re only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren’t above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents.

The purpose of the disciples of Jesus is to live for the Master, but there were people using pious sweet talk to be accepted as Christians while in fact they were there to take advantage of the church. Paul said to avoid them. It is difficult to imagine such council being given today in a pulpit.

25-26 All of our praise rises to the One who is strong enough to make you strong, exactly as preached in Jesus Christ, precisely as revealed in the mystery kept secret for so long but now an open book through the prophetic Scriptures. All the nations of the world can now know the truth and be brought into obedient belief, carrying out the orders of God, who got all this started, down to the final detail.

Paul knew all the Old Testament, but now, through Jesus the Old Testament was fulfilled, opening the blessings of the Lord to all nations.