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Rom.12:1. I pray to you, brothers, with the bounties of God. The Apostle gives laws, and hides his power, and, asking, offers teaching, and reminds of God’s love for mankind, which he spoke about at length above. What is he praying for? Imagine your bodily sacrifice, living, holy, pleasing to God, your verbal service. He already urged us to make our members weapons of righteousness, to imagine God as living from the dead (Rom. 6:13), but here he advises us to make our members a sacrifice and calls it a living sacrifice, because he commands us not to be slain in the body, but to be dead to sin and not accepting any of its effectiveness. He called this sacrifice holy, verbal and pleasing, in comparison with the dumb sacrifices, and showing that the Lord God is pleased with it. For through the mouth of all, so to speak, prophets, God condemns dumb sacrifices, but legitimizes this sacrifice. It is said: Devour the sacrifice of praise to God (Ps. 49:14), and: The sacrifice of praise will glorify Me (23), and thousands of similar places can be found in Divine Scripture. Rom.12:2. And do not be conformed to this age, The Apostle calls images characteristic of the present age, such as: wealth, dominion and other types of nobility; in reality - the future, as constant and always ongoing. So in another place he says: For the image of this world is passing away (1 Cor. 7:31), because many from the highest prosperity have fallen into extreme poverty; others, born from beggars, were entrusted with high positions of authority; others again, raising their eyebrows, arrogant and thinking of themselves that they were better than everyone else, suddenly being kidnapped, became stinking dust. Therefore, it is desirable for the divine Apostle that we should not be deceived by this and not love this way of life, but strive for what leads to eternal life. but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, even if you are tempted, that this is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Here he exhorts those who have deviated to the worse to return to the better, for this is expressed in the word: transform yourself. He let us see how much difference there is between virtue and the present: for he called the present simply an image (σχή µ α), and virtue an essential image (µ ορφή). An essential image means a real thing, but a simple image is something decomposing. The Apostle also showed the freedom of the soul, commanding it to renew its thoughts and distinguish the best from the worst, for this, said the Apostle, means: to serve God. It teaches what exactly, and above all else, it prohibits arrogance and legitimizes humility. For he says: Rom.12:3. For by the grace given to me, I say that everyone who is in you should not philosophize any more than it ought to philosophize, but philosophize in chastity, And he says that it is not he who legitimizes this, but the grace of the Spirit acting through him, for I, he says, am an instrument of grace. He called chastity here a healthy way of thinking, teaching that pride is a painful way of thinking. And he competed in this Master, for the Lord in the Holy Gospel was the first to please those who acquired humility: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for these are the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3). The Apostle legitimizes this for everyone - rich and poor, slaves and masters, husbands and wives, for this is what the words mean: to every being in you. And also prescribes a measure for philosophizing. to whom God has divided a measure of faith. Here he called grace faith. For by faith the giving of grace is acquired, and according to the measure of faith, gifts of grace are given. He commands this grace to measure the wisdom of the soul. Rom.12:4. Just as there are many imams in one body, they all do not do the same things: Rom.12:5. Likewise, we are many in one body in Christ, and judge one another according to one. This comparison is fitting for the teaching of love. For each part of the body is not only useful to itself, but also benefits the whole. Therefore, anyone who has received any grace from above should clearly know that he received this gift for a common need. For believers are one body and each of us holds the office of a member. Rom.12:6. The gifts we have according to the grace given to us are different. This should be understood this way: we are members of each other, having different gifts by grace given to us, for although they are different, they are nevertheless given by Divine grace for the common benefit. Even prophecy, according to faith: Rom.12:7. If you serve, in service: if you teach, in teaching: Rom.12:8. even to console, in consolation: The Giver of blessings measures the grace of everyone by faith. The Apostle calls prophecy not only foreknowledge of the future, but also knowledge of the unseen; and service is the work of preaching; teaching - inquiry into Divine dogmas; consolation - conviction to virtue. not by catching glory from others, but by satisfying the needs of the needy, and not by judging whether it will be enough or not enough for oneself, but by relying on God and generously giving alms. stand with diligence: have mercy, with good will: Rom.12:9. Lyuba is unhypocritical: It legitimizes doing everything with effort and commands that guardianship be thorough, and not bear only one empty name. He also prescribes joy with beneficence, showing the benefits of sociability, because rejoicing is usually for those who benefit. The Apostle said this in his Epistle to the Corinthians: Not out of sorrow or need, but God loves the giver of a good will (2 Cor. 9:7). And he commands love to be sincere, and rejects the mask of pretense. Hating evil, cling to what is good. He didn’t just say again: “You should run for this, but strive for this”; On the contrary, he commanded one to strongly hate vice, and ordered one to be extremely attached to doing good, so that the disposition to this would serve as a kind of solder. Rom.12:10. By showing brotherly love to one another, by being kind to one another, by honoring one another more creatively. Have a warm and decent disposition towards each other and brothers; Let everyone give way to their neighbor, for this is a sign of true friendliness. Rom.12:11. Don't be lazy with care, showing a lively zeal for good and completely avoiding laziness. The Apostle called the gift “Spirit” and commanded that our zeal should provide food for it, like firewood for fire. He says the same thing in another place; Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19). The spirit is quenched by those unworthy of grace, because, not having a pure eye of the mind, they do not accept that ray. So for those who are physically blind, darkness is also light, and in the middle of the day they serve darkness. Therefore, the Apostle commands us to burn in spirit and have an ardent love for the Divine. For he also added this: Rom.12:12. Rejoicing in hope, enduring sorrows, remaining in prayer. For whoever is burning in spirit works diligently for the Master, expects the enjoyment of hoped-for blessings and overcomes the temptations encountered, countering their challenges with patience and constantly calling on Divine grace for help. The Apostle expressed this with the words: abiding in prayer, that is, doing it incessantly. Rom.12:13. Communicating with the demand of the saints, By remembering communication, one is persuaded to generosity. For who would not agree to give money and become a sharer of prosperity? The Apostle said this in his Epistle to the Corinthians: Your abundance is in their deprivation: and their abundance will also be in your deprivation (2 Cor. 8:14). The Apostle calls strange not only the saints, but also those who came from somewhere else and have a need for service; It is about them that he commands to take care. Rom.12:14. Bless you who persecute: bless, and do not curse. This is the Lord's law, because the Lord gave it to the divine apostles. Rom.12:15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Rom.12:16. Also wisely to each other: Have fellowship with each other both in sorrow and in the opposite; one is characteristic of compassion, and the other of friendship, which cannot be accused of envy. not lofty, wise, but humble: The apostle again prohibits the arrogance of pride and legitimizes condescending to those who, in human opinion, are humiliated. that is, do not be content with what you yourself have come up with, but take advice from others. Rom.12:17. Repaying no one evil for evil, and this is success, close to both the most perfect virtue and dispassion. providentially kind to all people. So in another place the Apostle says: Be Jews and Greeks and the church of God without offense (1 Cor. 10:32). Rom.12:18. If possible, from you, have peace with all people. There is great precision in this addition: if it is possible and it is up to you, that is, nothing should be done beyond your strength, but use all the skill to maintain peace. This is in accordance with what was said above. For whoever blesses persecutors and does not take revenge on the offenders, does he give room for any hostility in himself? Rom.12:19. Do not take revenge on yourself, beloved, but give room to anger. For it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. (Deut. 32, 35) Rom.12:20. If your enemy is hungry, give him something to eat; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. When you do this, you gather coals of fire onto his head. (Prov. 25, 22–23) Having indicated the Judge and announced His truthful determination (for this is what the words mean: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord), the Apostle commands to courageously endure the insults inflicted, to repay the offenders without insults, and to deliver to the hostile what they need. For this weaves the crowns of the wise, and increases the punishment for offenders. However, you need to know that you should not serve your enemies so that they will suffer greater punishments. For the divine Apostle cited these words with the intention of quenching irritation in the offended, and not attempting to do so in order to increase evil with good. And what he commands to philosophize, this is also what follows. Rom.12:21. Do not be defeated by evil, but overcome evil with good. For to take revenge means to concede victory over oneself, but a glorious victory is to reward evil with good. Having thus formed these morals, the Apostle commands that those in authority be given due honor. For, as he who abundantly received the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, he foresaw that others, driven more by arrogance than by zeal, would despise worldly leaders, considering themselves superior in knowledge; moreover, he does this in order to suppress the rumor that had spread about the apostles, for they were slandering them, as if they were subverting social laws; and some said: Those who corrupted the world, these also have come here (Acts 17:6); and others: “They introduce other customs” (16, 21). Therefore, I thought it would not be superfluous to establish a law about this as well. Rom.13:1. Let every soul obey the powers that be: Whether anyone is a priest, or a bishop, or has taken a vow of monastic life, he must submit to those to whom the leadership has been entrusted, unless, as is obvious, this is in accordance with piety. For opposition to the commandments of God does not allow one to submit to those in authority. There is no power, if not from God: the existing powers were created by God. And this depends on God’s Providence, for God Himself, providing for the general decency, arranged for some to be in charge, others to be subordinates, placing the fear of those in charge, like a kind of bridle, on those who act unjustly. It should be known that the divine Apostle made it dependent on God's Providence that there should be superiors and subordinates, and not that it was one or the other who was in charge. For according to God's decree, it is not the power of the oppressors, but the very dispensation of power. If God is favorable, he gives leaders who respect justice. For it is said: I will give you shepherds according to My heart, and they will feed you with understanding (Jer. 3:15); and again: I will appoint your judges as before, and your counselors as from the beginning (Isa. 1:26). But in order to admonish those who sin, God allows evil leaders to rule. For it is said: I will make young men their rulers, and insults will rule over them (Isa. 3:4). However, it’s time to return to the interpretation of the next in order. Rom.13:2. Likewise, when you resist the authorities, you resist God’s command: The Apostle frightened him enough. those who resist themselves accept sin, that is, they become subject to punishment. Then he teaches about the needs of his superiors. Rom.13:3. Princes are not afraid of good deeds, but of evil. For those who live wickedly are punished. Do you want to not be afraid of power? Do good, and you will receive praise from him: Rom.13:4. God's servant is there for your good. The apostle made the leader worthy of respect, calling him God's servant; He also encouraged him to do good, saying that leaders praise him for good. If you do evil, be afraid: for he is not carrying a sword without a mind: for he is God’s servant, an avenger of anger against those who do evil. If you love what is good, honor the authorities as legitimizing it, and if you do the opposite, then fear its judgment, because it was appointed by God to punish the evil. Rom.13:5. Moreover, there is a need to obey not only for anger, but also for conscience. The Apostle calls punishment wrath. He commands to obey for one reason or another - both out of fear of punishment, and in order to fulfill what is due, for he called this conscience. Rom.13:6. For this reason you give tribute: for the servants of God are truly abiding. You are sleeping, and the boss is taking care of everyone; you are sitting at home, and he is waging war for the world. Rom.13:7. Give everyone their due: to him a lesson, a lesson: and to him a tribute, a tribute; and to him is fear, fear: and to him is honor, honor. The apostle calls the land tax a lesson, and the tax due for the right to trade, and calls due not only this, but also fear and honor, for this is what the subordinates owe to their superiors. Rom.13:8. You must be with no one, just love each other, in order not only to repay the debt of love (and this debt must be repaid before any other), but by this reward to increase love; because retribution increases debt many times over and makes love more ardent. love your friend and fulfill the law. Rom.13:9. The same goes: you will not commit adultery, you will not kill, you will not steal, you will not bear false witness, you will not lust, and if there is any other commandment, it is fulfilled in this word: you will love your sincere one as you love yourself. For whoever is well disposed toward someone does not kill the one he loves, does not commit adultery with his wife, does not appropriate for himself anything belonging to his loved one, and does not do anything else that would cause him grief. For this the Apostle added: Rom.13:10. Sincere love does not create evil: Then he draws a conclusion. there is any fulfillment of the law. So the Lord, when asked which commandment is the first, spoke the first, and added the second to it: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself (Luke 10:27), and showed that the first commandment is a contemplative virtue, and the second an active one. So the divine Apostle says: Fulfillment of the law is love. Then he adds: Rom.13:11. And this, knowing the time, as if it is time for us to rise from sleep, that is, especially because now is not the time for sleep, but for wakefulness. Now salvation is closer to us than when we believed. For every day we are getting closer to the Lord’s coming. Rom.13:12. The night is gone and the day is approaching: The Apostle calls night the time of ignorance, and day the time after the coming of the Lord, because the Sun of Truth, having risen, illuminated the universe with the light of the knowledge of God. Let us put aside dark deeds and put on the weapons of light. He calls ignorance darkness, and lawless deeds dark deeds; and calls knowledge light, and good activity the weapon of light. Rom.13:13. As in the days, let us walk gracefully, The apostle indicates the spiritual through the physical. For those who love a lawless life commit lawlessness at night, and during the day they take on the appearance of decency. Therefore, it is desirable for him, after the end of the night and the cessation of ignorance, to get rid of evil deeds. He also explains what these things are. not goat-talking and drunkenness, not fornication and adultery, not zeal and envy. Others have the custom of going wild at feasts and polluting their tongues with shameful songs, and the culprit for this is drunkenness. It is also the mother of indecency and a mentor in quarrels and disputes. Rom.13:14. But put on yourselves with our Lord Jesus Christ, not in order to receive a new baptism, but to know what kind of clothing they are wearing. and do not please the flesh through lust. Here the Apostle also stops the mouths of heretics who accuse the flesh, because he did not prohibit caring for the body, but rejected luxury and intemperance. He did not say: “Do not do anything to provide for the flesh,” but: do not create in lust, that is, do not drive it into frenzy with luxury. Having outlined this about active virtue, the Apostle again returned to dogmatic teachings. It is necessary first to say about the purpose of the apostolic teaching, in order to make the interpretation of the sayings understandable. Those among the Gentiles who believed loved the life of the Gospel. Many of the Jews who began preaching the gospel slavishly served the legal rules, strictly observing the days and eating the food that the law commanded. From here arose quarrels and struggles, because the Jews condemned the pagan believers for indifferently eating food, and the latter laughed at the former for being extremely strict and excessive in keeping the law. Therefore, the divine Apostle, healing this, offers proper admonition to both sides. And first he persuades the pagan believers to brotherly love. Rom.14:1. Accept him who is weak in faith, not into doubting thoughts. And the Apostle calls the one who is enslaved to the observation of legal regulations exhausted. Rom.14:2. He believes in everything, that is, one who believed from the Gentiles; Others say that the Jewish believers, ashamed of the pagan believers, abstained not only from pork, but also from all meat-eating, covering this up with the name of asceticism and abstinence. Why did the divine Apostle say: the one who is exhausted eats potions because, not having perfect faith, he thinks that he is being defiled by such food. Rom.14:3. Let the poisonous one not reproach the one who is poisonous: For those who believed among the pagans despised the believers among the Jews because they did not have sincere faith and therefore did not want to eat such and such food. and let him who is not poisonous condemn him who eats: And the Jewish believers condemned the pagan believers, recognizing the indifferent consumption of food as a violation of the law. that is, a pagan. And the Apostle continues his speech addressed to the Jews. Rom.14:4. Who are you to judge a foreign slave? Your Lord stands or falls. Every servant, while alive, is a profit to his own master, and when he dies, he also causes a loss. Therefore, the Lord of all bought this believer, giving His own blood as a price. And since he said: His Lord stands or falls, then, of necessity, he added: It will become, and this word is confirmed by God’s power: for God is able to establish it. Having said this about dishes, he turns his speech to days. Rom.14:5. He judges every day, but He judges every day. For some constantly abstained from foods prohibited by law, while others only for some days. Let everyone be informed by their thoughts. The Apostle did not say this in general, for he does not command one to reason in this way about Divine dogmas, but anathematizes those who allow themselves to teach contrary truth and says: If anyone preaches the gospel to you more than he has already eaten, let him be anathema (Gal. 1:9). Therefore, only the food gives the right to judge the understanding of everyone. For this custom continues to this day in the churches: one loves abstinence, the other fearlessly partakes of all food, and the latter does not condemn the first, the first does not blame the latter, but both boast of the law of like-mindedness. Rom.14:6. The day that is wise, the Lord is wise; and the day that is not wise, the Lord is not wise; the one who is poisonous eats the Lord, and gives thanks to God; and the one who is not poisonous, does not eat the Lord, and gives thanks to God. The Apostle says this out of condescension, meaning harmony in the Church. The God of all, he argues, knows the intention of those who eat and those who do not eat, and does not look at the deed alone, but tests the understanding with which it is done. Rom.14:7. No one lives like us, and no one dies like us. Rom.14:8. If we live, we live by the Lord; if we die, we die by the Lord. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. We are not masters over ourselves; bought at a price. And while we are alive, we are the Lord’s, and after the Lord’s death; in other words: you have no power over him, and he has no power over you, because we all have one Lord. Rom.14:9. For this reason, Christ died and rose again and is alive, and possesses both the dead and the living. He is the Lord of all, He who gave Himself up to death for us, who destroyed the power of death and who gives us all the promise of resurrection. Therefore, we are subject to Him, as those who have received life from Him. Rom.14:10. Why are you judging your brother? The Apostle says this to the Jew. Let us all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Then he confirms this word with the testimony of Scripture. Rom.14:11. For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, “For every knee will worship Me, and every tongue will confess to God.” (Isa. 45:23) He is our investigator, He is our judge. We need to appear before His throne. Moreover, prophetic testimony shows us the height of the Only Begotten Divinity. God, saying through the mouth of the Prophet: I am the eternal God, I am the first God, and I am heretofore (Is. 44:6), and in the coming I am (Is. 41: 4), before Me there was no other God, and after Me there will be no other (Is. 43: 10), there is no other except Me: righteous and savior, there is none besides Me (Is. 45: 21), then he added: I swear By myself,” says the Lord, “for every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will confess to God. But let us move on to the interpretation of what follows in order. Rom.14:12. Moreover, each one of us will give a word about himself to God. Since the Apostle indicated the Supreme Judgment Seat, it is necessary to advise not to judge each other, but to expect that verdict. For he added this: Rom.14:13. For we do not condemn one another; but judge this even more, so that we do not lay a stumbling block for our brother or a temptation. In these words, the Apostle attacks those pagan believers who did not have condescension for the weakness of the Jewish believers, but considered the indifferent eating of food to be the height of virtue and fiery zeal, and, firstly, teaches that there is nothing vile and unclean in them. He says this: Rom.14:14. By this I am known about Christ Jesus, that there is nothing bad about Him. It was necessary for the Apostle to add: about Christ Jesus, according to the weakness of the Jews; otherwise they would have said: “Who are you, who legitimizes what is contrary to Moses?” Therefore, he brings out the Lord of Moses on Wednesday, letting him know that He has put an end to legal observations and does not allow any food to be considered unclean. It is said: about Him, that is, according to His Gospel law, for He also said to blessed Peter: Even though God has cleansed it, do not defile it (Acts 10:15). just as he who thinks that it is bad to be, it is bad for him to eat. If someone, thinking that such and such food is unclean, eats it, then this is unclean not by nature, but because of the thoughts of the eater. Having made this distinction, the Apostle again condemns those Gentile believers who do not tolerate the weakness of the Jews. Rom.14:15. Even if your brother grieves for the sake of food, you no longer walk out of love: Strengthens the accusation with a reminder of love, revealing the disposition of the person doing so. Then he shows with even greater force the incongruity of the action. Do not destroy him with your waste, for it is worthless that Christ died. The Lord Christ accepted death for him, and you do not want to give him life by abstaining from food, but by eating you cause him death. Rom.14:16. Let not your good be blasphemed. Accusation again combines with praise, for he calls faith good. I praise his faith, says the Apostle, but I do not want it to become the cause of harm and blasphemy. Rom.14:17. For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but truth and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Do not think that there is very great success in this and that the Kingdom of Heaven will be acquired by this. For what we gain is true righteousness in peace and love, harmony and diligence, which generate joy in God. Rom.14:18. Whoever serves Christ in these ways is pleasing to God and skillful to man. For this is what all God requires of us; this also benefits people. At the same time, it should also be noted that the Apostle called the service of Christ a matter pleasing to the God of all. And if serving Christ is a matter pleasing to God, then honoring Christ is also pleasing to God. Therefore, whoever undertakes to blaspheme Christ and belittles His dignity does what is displeasing to the God of all. Rom.14:19. Let us also love the world, and also love each other for creation. Therefore, we must prefer useful agreement to everything and do everything for mutual benefit. Rom.14:20. Don’t ruin God’s work for the sake of waste. The Lord called faith in Him the work of God. For he says: This is the work of God, that you may believe in Him whose messenger He is (John 6:29). since, as is likely, some of the Jews apostatized from the faith, not tolerating the reproaches that the pagan believers made to them, the Apostle rightly said: Do not ruin the work of God for the sake of waste. But so that those who believed among the Jews would not also take this pretext to support the maintenance of the law, the Apostle tries to prevent this and says: None of these foods is unclean by nature. but evil is a stumbling block to the eater. Eating harms you because you are not concerned about the benefit of your neighbor; Seeing that he is suffering harm, you neglect it. Rom.14:21. It is good not to eat meat, nor to drink wine, nor because of which your brother stumbles or is offended or faints. And I command you not to eat not only meat, but also wine, if it causes any harm to your neighbor. Rom.14:22. Do you believe imashi? Take care of yourself before God. Walking by faith, do you also keep the law? Great asset! Praiseworthy success! But let your neighbor not suffer harm. Blessed is he who condemneth not himself, for whom he is tempted. This word leads to the conjecture that those who believed among the pagans even forced the Jews to eat what they did not want. Therefore, the Apostle teaches that although a believer does not suffer any harm from eating, however, whoever eats with some doubt participates as unclean. Therefore, he pleases the one who does not condemn himself, that is, does not doubt. And explaining this, the Apostle added: Rom.14:23. But if you doubt, you will be condemned even if you eat. And he shows the reason for this: It is not from faith: everything that is not from faith is sin. For a believer eats harmlessly, but whoever eats with some doubt pronounces judgment on himself. And the Apostle, teaching that he legitimizes what is pleasing to God, brings fervent prayer for them. Rom.14:24. To Him who is able to establish you What is the method of approval? according to my gospel, and preaching Jesus Christ, And, showing the antiquity of the sermon, the Apostle added: And just as it was not now that it received the beginning, but now the silent secret was revealed, then the Apostle says this further: Then he introduces the witnesses to the sermon. Rom.14:25. Having now appeared in the prophetic scriptures, according to the commandment of the eternal God, For what the Creator of ages foretold in secret through the mouth of the prophets has now made clear. What is the fruit of preaching? For those who hear must believe what is preached. Who are those who hear this? known in all languages. This should be understood this way: according to my gospel and according to the preaching of Jesus Christ, who became known to all nations. Rom.14:26. To the only wise God, Jesus Christ, to Him be glory forever, Amen. Having shown the mystery of the Economy, pre-ordained from the beginning, then prophesied by the prophets, and then revealed by the deed itself, the Apostle is amazed at God’s wisdom and sends forth the appropriate praise. If the heretics say that God is called the only wise one, then let them know that the Lord Christ is called not only the wise one, but also Wisdom Itself. And if they think to deprive the Son of this title of wise, then let them not call Him immortal. For this same Apostle speaks of God: He alone has immortality (1 Tim. 6:16). But, leaving them to this nonsense, let us adhere to the order of the message. For the divine Apostle, offering this prayer for them, offers exhortation, weaving praise for those who believed among the pagans and calling them strong for their faith. Rom.15:1. We must bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not please ourselves: Rom.15:2. Let every one of you please your neighbor for the good of creation. I know that you are strong and faith has made you strong; But I beg you to stretch out your hand to the weak and not only seek your own, but also strive for the benefit of your neighbor. The Apostle not only said: please your neighbor, but also: for good and for creation. For you can please to the detriment of both yourself and your neighbor. Then he presents an example. Rom.15:3. For Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: The reproaches of those who reproach You have attacked me (Ps. 68:10) The Lord Himself did not seek His own, but for our salvation, He gave Himself up to death. For we hear that before suffering he prays and says: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me: not as I will, but as You will (Matthew 26:39). The Lord also accepted the blasphemies of the Jews; and what they had long ago offended His Father by living lawlessly, they did to insult Him. That is why the Apostle brought prophetic testimony. Rom.15:4. Elika was already ordained, in our punishment it was ordained: so through the patience and consolation of the Scriptures the hope of the imams. Providing for our benefit, God communicated to us the faithful teaching in Scripture and kept in writing the legends about the saints. Rom.15:5. May the God of patience and consolation grant you also to philosophize with one another about Christ Jesus. Again, by adding words about Christ Jesus, he makes it clear that he does not unconditionally want to be like him, but asks God for pious consent. When remembering patience and consolation, he introduced the word about love, so that, embellished by it, they would endure the shortcomings of their neighbors and guide them to perfection with advice and consolation. Rom.15:6. May you unanimously, with one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle called God our God, the Father of the Lord Jesus, because the God of us all is His Father. Rom.15:7. In the same way, accept each other, just as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God. And the Lord Christ, not when we were righteous, loved us, but accepted and justified sinners. Therefore, we must endure the weakness of our brothers and take all measures to save them. Since those who believed among the Jews also pointed to the circumcision of the Lord, saying that He also loved a life under the law, the divine Apostle considered it useful to write about this as it should be, and says: Rom.15:8. I say, Christ Jesus, a servant of the circumcision according to the truth of God, to confirm the promises of the fathers: Rom.15:9. and with the tongue, by mercy, glorify God. The God of all promised Abraham to bless all nations in his seed. And the patriarch himself and his entire family accepted the sign of circumcision. Therefore, it was necessary that He who is called his seed according to the flesh and who exudes blessing to the nations should have on Himself the sign of kinship; and thus the truth of the Divine promise was clearly indicated, and the people who received grace glorified the Giver of love for mankind. Then the Apostle uses the evidence of Scripture, teaching that the salvation of the pagans was foretold from ancient times. As it is written: For this sake let us confess to You among the nations, and sing to Your name. (Ps. 17:50) Rom.15:10. And again he says: Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people (Deut. 32:43) Rom.15:11. And again: praise the Lord, all nations, and praise Him, all people. (Ps. 116:1) Rom.15:12. And again Isaiah says: the root of Jesse will rise up to rule over the tongues: in Him the nations trust. (Isa. 11, 10) The Apostle brought these testimonies, teaching those who believed among the Jews not to be upset by the salvation of the pagans, but to believe the prophecies about them. Following this, he prays for these Jews, showing fatherly compassion. Rom.15:13. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith, and may your hope abound in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. And in what was previously interpreted, the Apostle said that visible hope is not hope. That is why he calls God the God of hope, as from time immemorial he gave the hope of blessing to the pagans and confirmed the promise with deeds. This serves as a guarantee of the hoped-for blessings. For he who promised, and then fulfilled those promises, will certainly fulfill what he promised us today. The Apostle commands us not only to hope, but also to be abundant in hope, that is, to hope from a pure heart and imagine that we already see the good things we hope for. And such hope, as the Apostle said, is imparted by the grace of the Spirit. After this advice and goodwill, he adds praise, thereby encouraging him to correct himself. Rom.15:14. I am known, brethren, even about you, because you yourself are full of natural goodness, full of all intelligence, able to teach others. I know, says the Apostle, that you have no need for instruction, because you have sufficient knowledge and are filled with all good things, so that you can give decent advice to others. Rom.15:15. I wrote to you more boldly, brethren; as if remembering you for the grace given to me by God. Just as the Apostle showed modesty in his way of thinking, saying that he dared to teach the doctrine, he also allowed him to see the grace given to him, revealing that he was writing in accordance with this grace. What grace has been given to you? Rom.15:16. While I was a servant of Jesus Christ among the nations, ministering the gospel of God as a priest, I am appointed teacher of languages; This is the service I offer to the Lord Christ. What's the benefit? may the tongue offering be acceptable and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. I diligently endure every labor so that the pagans may be confirmed in the faith and become worthy of the grace of the Spirit. And the Apostle called preaching a sacred act, and sincere faith a favorable offering. Therefore, I did not do anything unnecessary, he says, even if I wrote more boldly and denounced those who sinned. Rom.15:17. Imam therefore give praise in Christ Jesus to those who come to God. Then he reveals what kind of praise this is. Rom.15:18. For I dare not say anything that Christ did not do to me, in obedience to tongues, in word and deed, Rom.15:19. in the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, I am not magnified by my labors, but by the gift of the Lord Christ. He gave me the grace of the All-Holy Spirit to create signs and wonders, so that the pagans would be caught by them and receive the ray of knowledge of God. He informs how many peoples he preached: as we from Jerusalem and around, even to Illyricum, to fulfill the good news of Christ. I cultivated not only those peoples that I met on the direct path, but, walking around, both the eastern and Pontic countries, and, in addition, the peoples living in Asia and Thrace, I filled with teaching. For this is what the word around means. Rom.15:20. But I tried to preach the gospel, not from where Christ was called, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, Rom.15:21. But as it is written: Those who are not told of Him will see; and those who have not heard will understand. (Isa. 52:15) This means that the Apostle did not spare his labors, taking fields that had not yet been developed, cultivating, sowing and producing abundant harvests, and thus brought the prophecy into fulfillment. Rom.15:22. Likewise, I would have been forbidden to come to you many times. For the occupations of other nations prevented it from being among you. Rom.15:23. Now, who has no place in these countries, but has had the desire to come to you for many years, Rom.15:24. If I go to Spain, I will come to you. I hope that when I come, I will see you and be carried there by you, if I first get my fill of you in part. The Apostle presented two reasons for going to them: the first, that others accepted the preaching and there were no people left who did not hear the gospel teaching, and the second, his love for the Romans. For, after the cessation of previous obstacles, this love strongly urged him to depart. He says that he had a desire to be with them much earlier. For many years, he says, he has wanted to see you. He foretells that he will not only see them, but will also go to Spain; and so that they wouldn’t think that he would only visit them in passing, he added: I’ll spend my time there with you, if I’ll get my fill of some of you first. First I wish to see you, and after you and them. Rom.15:25. Now I am coming to Jerusalem to serve the saints. Service refers to monetary giving; He also names those who sent them. Rom.15:26. It was good for Macedonia and Achaia to create some kind of fellowship for the poor saints living in Jerusalem. The God-wise Barnabas and Paul, concluding a condition with the blessed apostles, I mean Peter, James and John, to accept the teaching of the pagans, made a promise to convince the pagan believers so that they would serve the faithful living in Judea, given their insufficiency. And Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Galatians. For he said: Peter, James and John were like pillars, giving fellowship to me and Barnabas as right hands, so that they were for circumcision, but we for tongues: let us remember the poor, even though we endeavored to do this true thing (Gal. 2:9-10). He says the same thing here, marveling at the zeal of Macedonia and Achaia; but he also calls this charity a duty. Rom.15:27. They are kind and indebted to them. Why did this debt arise? If in the spiritual they were partakers of the Gentiles, they must also serve them in the carnal. Their fathers, says the Apostle, are patriarchs; to them are promises given; their prophets foretold the common good; from them by human nature is the Lord Christ; from them are the apostles, the preachers of the universe; through them the gifts of the Spirit are given. Therefore it is right for those who distribute more to become partakers of less. And therefore, above, he called monetary alms communication, and below, service, in the word communication showing that this is the return of what was given, and in the word service, that this is a due tribute. Rom.15:28. Having finished this, and sealing this fruit with them, I will go to Spain with you. The Apostle says: having sealed this fruit with them, that is, the Macedonians and Achaeans, for with the hands of the saints I bring what was sent to the right hand of God, and she will keep this inviolable and unharmed. Rom.15:29. Because I am coming to you, I will come fulfilling the blessing of the gospel of Christ. The apostle called the dangers to which he was exposed in Jerusalem for the gospel the fulfillment of the blessing of the gospel. For this is shown by the following words. Rom.15:30. I pray you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Spirit, help me in praying to God for me: Rom.15:31. May I get rid of those who resist in Judea, and may my service, even in Jerusalem, be favorable to the saints. Who and with what worthy praise will crown this blessed and blessed head? Firstly, he knows what will happen to him and predicts it; Even in Miletus he said to the elders of Ephesus: The Spirit throughout all the city bears witness to me, that bonds and sorrow await me (Acts 20:23). And when Agabus predicted the same thing, and everyone complained about it and tried to keep him, the divine man said: “Why are you crying and breaking my heart? For I am not exactly bound to be, but I am ready to die for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 21:13). And here he predicted that he would see both the Romans and the Spaniards; He added that he would come fulfilling the blessing of the gospel of Christ. And then, precisely seeing the fury of the Jews, he asks for their prayers, not only for the sake of the disobedient, but also for the sake of the believers, because even these were not favorably disposed towards him, considering him a violator of the law. That’s why I added: May my service, even in Jerusalem, be favorable to the saints. With countless labors he collected this, offering all kinds of admonitions to his disciples, and fears for those who accept them, lest hatred overcome duty. Rom.15:32. May I come to you with joy by the will of God, and may I rest with you. He doesn’t even want to do anything good without God’s will. Rom.15:33. God of peace be with you all, amen. Not just here he called God the God of peace, but because he himself had a need for peace, because of those who were clearly at war and looking at him suspiciously, and he wished for peace, because of the bewilderment that existed between them in their understanding of the observation of legal regulations. Rom.16:1. I entrust to you our sister Thebe, who is a servant of the church in Keghreeh; Rom.16:2. May you receive in the Lord what is worthy of the saints and be helpful to her, if he asks for things from you: for this intercessor has been for many, including for me. Rom.16:3. Kiss Priscilla and Aquila, my companion in Christ Jesus. Kenghrei is one of the very large Corinthian villages. Therefore, the power of preaching is amazing; for the Apostle in a short time filled not only the cities, but also the villages with piety. And such was the structure of the Kengkhrei church that it had a deaconess, and, moreover, a famous woman and known everywhere. Such was the wealth of her successes that she received similar praise from the apostolic lips. This,” says Paul, “has been an intercessor for many, including myself. Intercession, as I think, calls love of love and solicitude and rewards it for this with all sorts of honors. For although she, as is likely, received him into one house and for a short time, which, as is known, he stayed in Corinth, he opened the universe to her, and everywhere on land and sea this woman became famous; Not only the Romans and Hellenes, but also all the barbarians learned about it. And the one mentioned after her surpassed her: for Priscilla, or Prisca (both names can be found in books), and Aquila are called companions and adds: about Christ Jesus, so that no one would think that it implies communication in art, because they are also makers of tabernacles (Acts 18:3). Another great feat also speaks. Rom.16:4. Like my soul, my neck is smooth, and to what was done for him he actually adds what was done for everyone in general: It is not only to them that I give thanks, but also to all the pagan churches. He also speaks of another praiseworthy virtue. For the church at home also welcomes them. This word makes it possible to see the excellence of their piety, for, as is likely, all the household were taught high virtue and diligently performed divine services in the house. The divine Luke also mentions them and informs how they guided Apollos to the truth (Acts 18:26). Rom.16:5. Kiss my beloved Epenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia in Christ. He was probably the first of all the people to believe, and therefore received the name firstfruits. Rom.16:6. Kiss Mariam, who has worked so hard for us. Another is still a wife, crowned for her labors. Rom.16:7. Kiss Andronicus and Iunia, my relatives and my captives: those who are deliberate in the Apostles, those who believed in Christ before me. He brings together a lot of praise, and firstly, that he shared dangers with the divine Paul, for he called them captives, as those who participated with him in suffering, then he says that they were deliberate, not between disciples, but between teachers, and not between any teachers, but between the apostles. He also praises them according to the time of their belief, for he says: before me they were in Christ; after them I was called. And in any case, I am amazed at the modest way of thinking of this godly head. Rom.16:8. Kiss Amplia my beloved in the Lord. And this is no small praise; for he called him beloved in the Lord, which indicates his prosperity. Rom.16:9. Kiss Urvan, our helper in Christ, and Stakhia, our beloved. He crowned Urvan with great praise, calling him an assistant in the preaching of Christ and in his exploits. Rom.16:10. Kiss Apellia skillfully in Christ. This is evidence of high virtue, for not having anything counterfeit is the height of goodness. Kiss the beings from Aristobulus. Rom.16:11. Kiss my relative Herodion, and those like him from Narcissus. It is clear that these were believing families. About those like Narcissus, he adds: existing in the Lord, because there were, of course, others who had not yet become such. Rom.16:12. Kiss Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labor for the Lord. Another crown, woven for labor, and labor means this word or love of hobbies, or fasting, or some other virtue. Kiss your beloved Persis, even though you have worked hard for the Lord. She has great praise, because she has more hard work. Rom.16:13. Kiss Rufus, the chosen one in the Lord, and his mother and mine. And this praise is also very desirable; Many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16). And he glorified Mother Rufus for her many achievements in virtue, otherwise she would not have been worthy to be called Mother Pavlova. For nature made her the mother of Rufus, and venerable virtue made her the mother of the divine Paul. Rom.16:14. Kiss Asigkrit, Phlegont, Hermas, Patrov, Hermia and the brethren who are with them. Here is another family of the faithful worthy of Paul's greeting. Rom.16:15. Kiss Philologus and Julia, Nirea and his sister, and Olympanos, and all the saints who are with them. And these also, living together, for the virtue that they had, were worthy of the apostolic greeting. Having thus listed these by name, he finally commands everyone to greet each other. For he says: Rom.16:16. Kiss each other with a holy kiss. since, as an absent person, he himself could not embrace them in his arms, he does this through them, commanding them to kiss each other, and to kiss with a holy, honest, chaste, sincere, related kiss, free from all deceit. All the churches of Christ kiss you. The Apostle, so to speak, from the whole universe greeted the Church presiding over the universe. Rom.16:17. I pray you, brothers, beware of those who create strife and strife, except for the teaching that you have learned, and turn away from them. In these words the Apostle means the unjust defenders of the law, whose teachings he commands to run around, praising the preaching of the most supreme of the apostles. For the words: those who do besides the teaching that you have learned, show that he was greatly amazed at the teaching that was taught to them. Rom.16:18. Such people do not work for our Lord Christ, but for their own belly: And from this it is clear that he says this about the Jews, because he always accuses them of gluttony, and in another place he says: But God is their belly (Phil. 3:19). who with good words and blessings deceive the hearts of the gentle. He called praise a blessing; makes it clear that some of them were deceived. For he says: they deceive the hearts of the gentle; It is not malice that is blamed, but simplicity. Then he excites them again with praise. Rom.16:19. Your obedience has reached everyone, because you accepted the apostolic teaching with zeal. Therefore, the Apostle continues, I rejoice in you. But while praising, he does not stop teaching: I want you to be wise for good, and simple for evil. The Lord gave this law to the apostles, saying: Be wise as a serpent, and your goals like doves (Matthew 10:16). But the Master’s word also demands that we repel the machinations of those who are hostile, and not in the least take revenge on those who offend. Rom.16:20. May the God of peace crush Satan under your feet quickly. Since he commanded to beware of those who are hostile, he begs God in good time to crush the teacher of the evil ones and to subjugate him under the feet of those who believe. Rom.16:20. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is with you. Having indicated the enemy, he also indicated the helper, for those who have been worthy of Divine grace are irresistible. Rom.16:21. Timothy, my companion, kisses you, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. One is famous for his participation in the case, and the other for his kinship. But an associate is much more respectable than a relative. Such is Timothy, whom Paul circumcised at Lystra and to whom he wrote two letters. The book of Acts also mentions Jason. Rom.16:22. I kiss you (and) Tertius, who wrote this message about the Lord. And he was one of those worthy to listen to the apostolic teaching. Therefore, I received a command from the mouth of the Apostle, accepting the generation of his holy soul, to put them on a charter. Rom.16:23. You kiss Gay, my stranger and the whole church. And this is the strongest testimony that leads to praise - to open your home to the disciples of faith and, with all others, to serve the teacher of the universe himself. Guy was a Corinthian, and the divine Apostle informs us about this in his Epistle to the Corinthians, where he says: I thank God, for I have baptized not one of you, only Crispus and Gaius (1 Cor. 1:14). Erast the city builder kisses you, and brother Quart. He calls Erast a builder, not a church builder, but a city builder, because he, of course, was entrusted with the care of something. He also mentions him in the Epistle to Timothy, and says this: Erastus remained in Corinth: but I left Trophimus in Miletus, sick (2 Tim. 4:20). Rom.16:24. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, amen. Again the Apostle gave them a spiritual blessing and, as if with some kind of adamantine wall, protected them with the Lord's grace. This is how he began the message, and this is how he ended it. May we also become partakers of it, so that we may rise above slander, and, illuminated by this blessing, steadily walk along the straight path, and, holding on to the apostolic footsteps, be worthy to see the teacher, and through his intercession, enjoy the Master’s blessing, and receive the promised benefits through the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ. With Him befits the Father with the Holy Spirit glory and splendor now and always and unto ages of ages! Amen. You should know that the Epistle to the Romans was written from Corinth. You might be interested in: