Reading for September 3rd

 Read Romans 16.1-16. In 16.1-23: Concluding personal greetings and exhortations. In verses 1-2: Phoebe commended. In verse 1: Deacon (Gk., "diakonos"), or minister is the same term used of Christ (15.8) and Paul (1 Cor 3.5). Cenchrea was a suburb of Corinth (Acts 18.8). In verses 3-16: Paul sends his greetings. In verses 3-5: Priscilla and Aquilla: Acts 18.2-3; 1 Cor 16.19. In verse 5: Asia: western Asia Minor. In verse 7: The feminine form of Junia is preferred over the masculine form Junias. She is the only woman among the apostles inthe New Testament. My relatives probably means fellow Jews. In verses 8-16: All the names listed are mentioned only here in the New Testament. Another Rufus is mentioned in Mk 15.21. The number of people Paul knows byname in the Roman church is remarkable. In verse 16: The holy kiss possibly originated in early Christian circles (1 Cor 16.20; 2 Cor 13.12). The churches of Christ in Achaia, where Paul was writing, are meant. Comments or Questions..