Romans 15 24

Romans 15:24 kjv

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

Romans 15:24 nkjv

whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

Romans 15:24 niv

I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

Romans 15:24 esv

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.

Romans 15:24 nlt

I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

Romans 15 verses

Romans 15 24 Meaning

Paul communicates his clear intention to visit the believers in Rome as part of his journey to Spain, the furthest region in the west of the Roman Empire, for his missionary outreach. He hopes for a significant time of fellowship and spiritual refreshment with them, expecting to receive their practical and financial support for his continued journey to Spain. This visit to Rome would serve as a strategic base and partnership for the advancement of the gospel further westward.

Romans 15 24 Context

This verse is situated in Romans 15, where Paul transitions from doctrinal explanations to personal appeals and plans, particularly regarding Christian unity between Jews and Gentiles within the Roman church. He affirms his apostolic calling to the Gentiles (Rom 15:15-16), referencing Old Testament prophecies that speak of Gentile inclusion in God's plan (Rom 15:9-12). Paul then outlines his past missionary efforts, having extensively preached the gospel in the eastern Roman Empire, from Jerusalem around to Illyricum (Rom 15:19). With no more "unbuilt foundation" territory in those regions (Rom 15:23), he expresses a long-standing desire and new strategic ambition to take the gospel to the far West, specifically Spain. His intended visit to Rome serves as a crucial staging point, allowing him to establish fellowship and garner support from a well-situated and influential Christian community before embarking on the next phase of his missionary journey. Historically, Paul penned Romans from Corinth, likely in A.D. 57, looking toward his eventual visit to Jerusalem with the collection for the poor saints before his westward travels. Rome, as the imperial capital and a strategic hub, represented the doorway to the unevangelized western parts of the Empire.

Romans 15 24 Word analysis

• whenever (ὡς ἂν, hōs an): A temporal conjunction implying "as soon as," "when," or "whenever." It indicates the timing of his intended future action, not an uncertainty about it.
• I go (πορεύωμαι, poreuōmai): Present subjunctive, literally "I might go." It denotes Paul's definite purpose and planned journey towards Spain, emphasizing movement and intentionality.
• to Spain (εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν, eis tēn Spanian): Specifies the geographical destination. Hispania (Spain) was a Roman province, representing the then-known westernmost frontier for Paul's mission, aligning with his commitment to unreached territories (Rom 15:20).
• I will come (ἐλεύσομαι, eleusomai): Future tense, "I shall come." Expresses Paul's firm intention to visit Rome as part of his journey.
• to you (πρὸς ὑμᾶς, pros hymas): Directly addresses the Roman believers, signaling his desire for personal interaction.
• for I hope (ἐλπίζω γὰρ, elpizō gar): gar ("for") introduces the reason for his visit. elpizō ("I hope/expect") in Paul's writings conveys a confident expectation or assurance based on God's providence, not a mere wish.
• to see you (θεάσασθαι ὑμᾶς, theasasthai hymas): theasasthai implies seeing, gazing at, or observing with keen interest. It suggests a desire for genuine, in-depth fellowship and interaction, beyond a fleeting glimpse.
• in passing (διαπορευόμενος, diaporeuomenos): Present participle, "passing through" or "journeying through." This clarifies his intention to visit Rome as an interim stop on his larger mission to Spain, rather than a final destination.
• and to be helped on my way there by you (καὶ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖθεν, kai hyph' hymōn propemmphthēnai ekeithen):
  • to be helped on my way (προπεμφθῆναι, propemmphthēnai): Passive infinitive, "to be sent forward" or "to be escorted." This Greek term frequently denotes providing practical assistance, including financial support, provisions, and sometimes an escort, crucial for missionary travel.
  • by you (ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν, hyph' hymōn): Identifies the Roman Christians as the source of the anticipated support, highlighting their role as missionary partners.
  • there (ἐκεῖθεν, ekeithen): Refers to his onward journey from Rome.
• when I have first (ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον, ean hymōn prōton): ean introduces a condition ("if," "when"), prōton means "first" or "first of all." This prioritizes fellowship with the Roman believers before continuing to Spain.
• enjoyed your company for a while (ἀπὸ μέρους πλησθῶ, apo merous plēsthō):
  • enjoyed (πλησθῶ, plēsthō): Aorist passive subjunctive, "to be filled," "to be satisfied," "to have enough of." This powerful verb conveys Paul's deep longing for spiritual refreshment, encouragement, and fulfilling communion with the Roman church, signifying a mutual spiritual benefit.
  • for a while (ἀπὸ μέρους, apo merous): "in part," "for a time," or "to some extent." This indicates that while the fellowship would be deep, it would be for a sufficient, but not indefinite, period, given his urgent mission to Spain.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "whenever I go to Spain, I will come to you": Paul establishes a direct link between his expansive missionary goal in the far West and his necessary engagement with the Roman church. This frames his Roman visit not merely as a detour but as an integral, strategic component of his broader mission.
• "for I hope to see you in passing and to be helped on my way there by you": This phrase succinctly conveys Paul's twofold purpose: personal, meaningful fellowship ("to see you") and crucial practical support for his apostolic journey ("to be helped on my way"). The "in passing" element clarifies Rome's role as a vital operational hub for his ongoing mission.
• "when I have first enjoyed your company for a while": The specified sequence ("first... enjoyed your company") underscores Paul's conviction that profound spiritual fellowship and mutual edification are foundational prerequisites for effective partnership in gospel advancement. It reflects a prioritizing of relational and spiritual depth over purely logistical arrangements.

Romans 15 24 Bonus section

Paul's audacious plan to reach Spain aligns powerfully with the Great Commission's universal scope, particularly Jesus's call in Acts 1:8 to witness to "the remotest part of the earth." For Paul, Spain literally embodied the furthest practical boundary for the spread of the gospel within the known world of his time, thereby fulfilling prophecies of the Gentiles coming to the Lord. Interestingly, while the Book of Acts concludes without narrating Paul's journey to Spain, early Christian tradition, prominently in Clement of Rome's 1 Clement (Chapter 5), offers extra-biblical support that Paul did indeed travel "to the farthest bounds of the West" after his initial Roman imprisonment. This ancient testimony underscores the church's early understanding of Paul's commitment to this specific westward mission, which he so clearly stated in this letter. The request for the Roman church to "help him on his way" (προπεμφθῆναι) wasn't an isolated incident; it was a customary and biblical practice among early churches, reflecting their understanding of the reciprocal relationship where missionaries supplied spiritual good and churches, in turn, provided material support (cf. Rom 15:27).

Romans 15 24 Commentary

Romans 15:24 succinctly expresses Paul’s strategic vision for global evangelization and the essential partnership within the body of Christ. Having extensively evangelized the eastern Mediterranean, Paul sets his sights on Spain, signifying his apostolic ambition to preach the gospel where Christ has not yet been named, reaching what was then the furthest known extent of the Gentile world. His planned visit to Rome is paramount to this endeavor. He seeks genuine and profound fellowship with the Roman believers, desiring to be spiritually refreshed and satisfied through their shared faith and mutual encouragement. This profound longing for spiritual communion precedes his expectation of their material assistance. The "helping on his way" (προπεμφθῆναι) signifies crucial practical support—likely financial aid, provisions, or even an escort—necessary for a costly and dangerous missionary journey. This verse thus articulates Paul's leadership, his dependence on local churches, and the synergistic relationship between missionary and congregation for advancing the gospel to the unreached world. It demonstrates that strategic missionary efforts require both deep spiritual unity and tangible practical support from the wider Christian community.