Romans 15 22

Romans 15:22 kjv

For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

Romans 15:22 nkjv

For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.

Romans 15:22 niv

This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

Romans 15:22 esv

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.

Romans 15:22 nlt

In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

Romans 15 verses

Romans 15 22 Meaning

Paul states his frequent desire to visit the Roman believers.

Romans 15 22 Context

This verse is part of the concluding section of Paul's letter to the Romans. Paul has been systematically explaining the gospel and its implications for Jewish and Gentile believers living together. He has emphasized unity and mutual acceptance within the church, particularly concerning issues of weaker and stronger conscience. Having laid out theological foundations, Paul now turns to personal matters, including his missionary strategy and his desire to visit Rome. This verse highlights Paul's genuine longing for fellowship and ministry with the Roman church. He is moving toward Jerusalem to deliver a collection for the needy saints there and intends Rome to be a base for his future missionary journey to Spain.

Romans 15 22 Word Analysis

• νῦν (nun): now. Present tense, emphasizing the current state of his desires.
• οὐκέτι (ouketi): no longer. Indicates a cessation of a previous state or hindrance.
• ἐν τοῖς... πλεῖστοις (en tois... pleistois): in the most places. Refers to the majority of his missionary territories.
• ὑμῖν (hymin): you (plural). Addressing the church at Rome.
• στέρημα (sterema): hindrance, want, lack, deprivation. Refers to something that prevents or causes a lack. In this context, it implies previous impediments to visiting.
• ἔσχηκα (eschēka): I have had, I have obtained (perfect tense). Implies a past possession of these hindrances that has now ceased.
• ἔτι (eti): yet, still. Continues the idea of hindrance, suggesting it has been an ongoing issue.
• πλεονάκις (pleonakis): many times, often. Reinforces the repeated nature of his desire and the hindrances.
• στέρημα ἔσχηκα ἔτι πλεονάκις ὑμῖν (sterema eschēka eti pleonakis hymin): This phrase is structured in Greek to convey a strong emphasis on the continuous and repeated blocking of his desire. It means "a hindrance has I had still many times to you." The placement of "pleonakis" before "hymin" underscores that it was to them he was often prevented from coming.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "οὐκέτι ἐν τοῖς πλεῖστοις ἔσχηκα στέρημα": This group of words "no longer in the most places I have had hindrance" emphasizes a change in his circumstances. The obstacles that previously prevented his travel to "most places" (referring to other missionary fields, but by extension, implying Rome was among them) had ceased.
• "πλεονάκις ὑμῖν": This phrase "many times to you" directly states the frequent thwarting of his desire to visit Rome specifically. It underscores the repeated and persistent nature of the impediments.

Romans 15 22 Bonus Section

The sentiment expressed by Paul resonates with the biblical principle of prayer and God's timing. His inability to visit was not a sign of disinterest, but a consequence of divinely ordered or humanly imposed limitations that ultimately served God's larger plan. Paul's consistent theology affirms that God orders all events (Rom. 8:28). His desire to visit the Romans is not just a personal wish but a missional objective to strengthen the church and potentially use it as a base for further evangelism, a pattern seen in his earlier missionary journeys where he established churches and then visited them for further strengthening. His mention of past hindrances is framed by a present hope, showing a characteristic Pauline blend of realism and faith in God's ultimate sovereignty.

Romans 15 22 Commentary

Paul expresses a profound and long-held desire to minister in Rome. The use of "no longer in the most places I have had hindrance" suggests that past difficulties preventing his wider missionary efforts are now largely gone. However, he specifically highlights that despite these general obstacles being removed, he has "many times" been unable to visit the Roman believers. This is not a complaint but a statement of his deep yearning for fellowship and mutual encouragement. He had planned to visit, perhaps as a staging ground for his evangelistic endeavors in Spain. The implication is that various factors, possibly persecution, previous missionary commitments, or opposition, had prevented him. Now, the impediments seem to have cleared, enabling his stated intention to visit them.