14
I amεἰμίa debtorὀφειλέτηςbothτεto GreeksἝλλησίνandκαὶto barbarians,βαρβάροιςbothτεto the wiseσοφοῖςandκαὶto the foolish.ἀνοήτοις
Romans 1:14
Study it in the app“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”
With the Greek beneath
Romans 1:14, word by word
- I amεἰμίeimi
be
To be: says who or what something is.
Where else “eimi” appears- a debtorὀφειλέτηςopheiletēs
debtor
Debtor: someone who owes something; also someone who owes for a wrong, an offender.
Where else “opheiletēs” appears- to GreeksἝλλησίνHellēsin
Greek
A Greek, by nation or culture.
Where else “Hellēsin” appears- to barbariansβαρβάροιςbarbarois
foreigner, non-Greek
A foreigner, someone who does not speak Greek; in the New Testament without contempt, "native", "local people".
Where else “barbarois” appears- to the wiseσοφοῖςsophois
wise
Wise, skilled, clever.
Where else “sophois” appears- to the foolishἀνοήτοιςanoētois
foolish
Foolish, without understanding.
Where else “anoētois” appears
Translation note
“Barbarians”: those who did not speak Greek (like the “natives” of Acts 28:2); here, together with “Greeks,” it takes in all of humanity.
The context
13Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I intended to come to you (and I have been prevented until now), so that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the rest of the nations.
14 · This verse (above)
15So for my part I am eager to proclaim the good news also to you who are in Rome.
To study Romans 1 in a group
1. What it says
How does Paul introduce himself at the start of the letter, and what does he say he is not ashamed of? (vv. 1, 16)
2. What it means
Paul says God's invisible qualities are perceived in what he made (vv. 19-20). What do you think he means by that?
3. How I live it
Paul was not ashamed of the good news (v. 16). How can you speak naturally and respectfully about what you value most?