Romans 16:5

An Understandable Version (2005 edition)

I also send greetings to the church that meets in their house. Greetings to my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia [Note: This was a province in the western part of present-day Turkey].

Cross References

Colossians 4:15

Greet the brothers who are at Laodicia, and Nympha, along with the church that meets in her house.

Philemon 1:2

and to Apphia our sister [Note: This was probably Philemon’s wife], and to Archippus our fellow-soldier [Note: This was probably Philemon’s preacher son. See Col. 4:17] and to the church [that meets] in your house.

1 Corinthians 16:19

The churches in Asia send you their greetings [Note: This was the westernmost province in present-day Turkey]. Aquila and Prisca [Note: This married couple were close friends and fellow-tentmakers of Paul], along with the church that meets in their house, send you their warm greetings in [fellowship with] Christ.

1 Corinthians 16:15

You know that [members of] the family of Stephanas are the first fruits of Achaia [i.e., the first converts in that province of southern Greece], and that they have committed themselves to serving God’s people [i.e., the saints].

Matthew 18:20

For I am in the presence of two or three [disciples] wherever they are gathered in my name.”

Revelation 14:4

These people are the ones who did not practice sexual immorality with women, for they were virgins [Note: This probably has reference to people who avoided idolatry]. These are people who followed the Lamb wherever He went. They were purchased from among mankind to be the first fruits [devoted] to God and to the Lamb.

3 John 1:1

[This is being written by] the elder to my dear [friend] Gaius, whom I love in the truth. [Note: This probably means “whom I truly love”].

James 1:18

It was God’s purpose to bring us into being [spiritually] by the message of truth, so that we could become a kind of “first fruits” of those He created. [Note: “First fruits” here suggests either that Christians are the best of all of God’s creatures (Num. 18:12), or that they were the first to be converted, with many more to come].

2 Corinthians 9:2

For I know how eager you [already] are, and I have boasted about you to the Macedonians, that Achaia [Note: This was the southernmost province of Greece, where Corinth was located] has been prepared [to give] since last year. And your enthusiasm has stirred up most of them [to give also].

2 Corinthians 1:1

[This letter is from] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy, our brother. [It is being sent] to the church of God at Corinth, with all the saints [i.e., God’s holy people] who are in the entire province of Achaia [Note: This was the southern province of Greece]

Romans 16:12

Greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, who are workers in [the service of] the Lord and to Persis, my dear friend who worked hard in [the service of] the Lord.

Romans 16:8

Greetings to Ampliatus, my dear friend in [the fellowship of] the Lord.

Romans 15:26

For [the Christians in] Macedonia and Achaia [Note: These were provinces in Greece] thought it was a good idea to take up an offering for the poor saints at Jerusalem.

Romans 11:16

And if the first part of the dough is dedicated to God, the entire batch of dough will be also. And if the roots [of a tree] are dedicated to God, the branches will be also.

Acts 18:27

And when he desired to travel over into Achaia, he was encouraged [to do so] by the brothers, who wrote to the disciples [in Achaia and urged them] to welcome him. When he arrived [in Achaia] he was a great help to those who had become believers through the unearned favor of God. [Note: An alternate meaning is, “he was a great help, through God’s unearned favor upon him, to those who had become believers”].

Acts 18:12

But when Gallio was magistrate of Achaia [i.e., the southern province of Greece] the Jews joined forces to attack Paul and brought him before the court of justice,

Acts 2:9

Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappodocia, Pontus, Asia,

Acts 16:6

And then Paul, Silas, Timothy [and perhaps others by now] traveled through the districts of Phrygia and Galatia [i.e., provinces of central Asia Minor] because [an inspired message from] the Holy Spirit would not permit them to proclaim the message in Asia [i.e., the westernmost province of Asia Minor].

Romans 16:4

They risked their own lives for me, so not only I, but also all the Gentile churches [i.e., people converted from among the Gentiles] are grateful to them [for this].

Romans 16:6

Greetings to Mary, who worked very hard for you [i.e., she served the church in Rome].