Scripture
Paul Greets His Friends
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. 2Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. 4In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. 5Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ. 6Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia,[1] my fellow Jews,[2] who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. 8Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.[3] Greet the Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus. 12Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.
14Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters[4] who meet with them. 15Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers[5] who meet with them. 16Greet each other with a sacred kiss. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.
Translation notes (5)
- 16:7a Junia is a feminine name. Some late manuscripts accent the word so it reads Junias, a masculine name; still others read Julia (feminine).
- 16:7b Or compatriots; also in 16:21.
- 16:11 Or compatriot.
- 16:14 Greek brothers; also in 16:17.
- 16:15 Greek all of God’s holy people.
51“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked.
“My Rabbi,[1]” the blind man said, “I want to see!”
Translation notes (1)
- 10:51 Greek uses the Hebrew term Rabboni.
Directly related to courage is faith. For example, if we have strong faith in God, we will be courageous to obey Him and take risks to make Him known to those around us. If we do not have faith, we will shrink back in fear. This week, we are looking at the story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10. Bartimaeus courageously turned to Jesus because he had faith that Jesus could heal him.
As Bartimaeus was begging on the streets of Jericho, unable to work because of his blindness in Mark 10, he heard that Jesus was close by (verse 47). He shouted out to Jesus for help, and when people told him to be quiet, he shouted even louder (verses 47-48). Do not miss Jesus' response to Bartimaeus. While many religious leaders would have told him to stop shouting and leave them alone, Jesus did not. When Jesus heard Bartimaeus, He stopped (verse 49). The pleas of Bartimaeus impacted him. He said, "Tell him to come here" (verse 49). After Bartimaeus enthusiastically went to Jesus, Jesus asked him a rather strange question. He asked, "What do you want me to do for you? (verse 51). Bartimaeus was blind, so most who saw him would have known what he wanted, even Jesus. Jesus' question allowed Bartimaeus to say his request to Him out loud and show that he had faith that Jesus could heal him. Bartimaeus responded, "My Rabbi… I want to see!" (verse 51). He knew the power of Jesus and turned to Him for healing. This man's faith was remarkable!
Do we have this same faith in Jesus that Bartimaeus demonstrated? He believed that Jesus could work a miracle in his life. Do we believe in His healing and helping power so that we consistently ask Him for help? Unfortunately, many of us try to handle things on our own without turning to Him. We trust our own power instead of His. There is a better way, my friend! We must stop, pause, recognize His power, and courageously ask for help in faith. After all, if we believe in His power, why wouldn't we ask for His help?
Moving toward Action
Maybe today, you need a reminder of God's power and faithfulness. One of the ways we can gain confidence in Him is by remembering what He has done for us. Set a three-minute timer right now. For the next three minutes, list the incredible things God has done for you in your life. When you are done, say a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving. Thank Him for what He has done for you, and tell Him you trust Him to continue caring for you. Ask Him to give you the courage to keep trusting Him and living courageously in light of His power and faithfulness in your life.
Going Deeper
Romans 16:1-16
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