Romans 16:25 — Word Study
N1904
The Greek edition printed on this site — Nestle 1904 — does not carry Romans 16:25 at this point; it places these verses earlier in the letter. So there is no word-by-word study here. The English text above, and the commentators, cross-references and early-church readings below, all still stand.
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past |
| KJV | Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, |
| ASV | Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, |
| YLT | And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, in the times of the ages having been kept silent, |
| BBE | Now to him who is able to make you strong in agreement with the good news which I gave you and the preaching of Jesus Christ, in the light of the revelation of that secret which has been kept through times eternal, |
| GNV | To him nowe that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and preaching of Iesus Christ, by the reuelation of the mysterie, which was kept secrete since the worlde began: |
The translations are consistent in conveying the idea of God's power to strengthen believers.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with multiple subordinate phrases that elaborate on God's ability and the means by which He strengthens believers.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Deep Study — Romans 16:25
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Concluding Doxology of Romansgenerated
Romans 16:25 concludes Paul's letter with a doxology, praising God for His power to establish believers through the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ. This section emphasizes the mystery of God's plan, which was hidden for ages but is now revealed. It follows greetings to various individuals in the church, showing the personal connections within the Christian community.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romans 14:4 | Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. |
| 2 | Acts 20:32 | And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. |
| 3 | Ephesians 3:20–21 | Now to Him who is able to do so much more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, |
| 4 | 1 Thessalonians 3:13 | so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen. |
| 5 | 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 | Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 28 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Wordgenerated
The word δυναμένῳ is a present participle of δύναμαι, meaning 'to be able' or 'to have power.' It indicates God's ongoing ability to strengthen believers.
This participle is in the dative case, indicating the person to whom the action is directed — in this case, the believers being addressed. The emphasis is on God's capability and willingness to empower them.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the key concept of God's power to strengthen believers. The BSB uses 'able to strengthen,' which is echoed in the KJV and ASV with 'is of power to stablish.'
The variations are minimal, with different translations using synonyms like 'establish' (ASV) and 'make you strong' (BBE), but the core meaning remains consistent.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is δυναμένῳ, who is able, which governs the entire clause. The structure includes a noun phrase for the indirect object ᾧ, to Him, and several phrases detailing how He strengthens believers.
The sentence structure is complex, with multiple clauses and phrases that elaborate on the means of God's strengthening: through the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Romans 16:25 praises God for His power to strengthen believers through the gospel and the message of Jesus Christ. This verse highlights the mystery of God's plan, which was hidden for a long time but is now revealed.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God has the power to make us strong in our faith and to support us through the challenges we face.
The gospel provides the foundation of our faith, reminding us of God's love and the truth of Jesus Christ, which empowers us to live for Him.
The mystery refers to God's plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, which was not fully revealed until the New Testament.
Paul includes a doxology to acknowledge God's greatness and to encourage believers to rely on His strength and power.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to rely on God's strength?
- How can I share the message of the gospel to strengthen others in their faith?
- What does the revelation of the mystery mean to me personally?
- How can I incorporate doxologies or praises to God in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church Fathers comment on this doxology, discussing how it reflects the power of God to strengthen believers through the gospel.
Paul wants to show that there are two ways in which those who believe in the gospel are strengthened. One is by his preaching, which is the preaching of Christ.Early Church Fathers on Romans 16 →
For we especially testify that He was twice born, first in the spirit, and afterwards in the flesh. For they proceeded from God as silent spirits, because they were not created to teach the knowledge of God, but for His service.Early Church Fathers on Romans 16 →
It is always a custom with Paul to conclude his exhortation with prayers and doxologies. For he knows that the thing is one of no slight importance. And it is out of affectionateness and caution that he is in the habit of doing this.Early Church Fathers on Romans 16 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Romans 16:25 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleNow to him that is of power to stablish you,.... God is here described by his power, and the particular instance of it is the establishing of his people; that is, in the Gospel, as the Syriac version
Read John Gill on Romans 16 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryNow to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, Now to
Read Robert Jamieson on Romans 16 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHe concludes all with an excellent doxology; wherein, first, he describes God, and then he ascribes eternal glory to him. He describes him by two of his attributes or perfections: the first is his power; He is able to establish you; i.e. in grace and in truth; to keep you from falling into sin and into error. The Scripture often attributes our establishment unto God: see . Our own weakness and Satan’ s power are such, that unless God did establish us, we shonld soon totter and fall: see , and the notes there. Our establishment is further amplified by the instrumental cause thereof, which is the gospel; touching which, several things are here to be noted. First, he calls it my gospel…
Read Matthew Poole on Romans 16 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, Ver. 25. Which was kept secret] Even from the very angels, 1 Peter 1:12, who do daily profit in the knowledge of this secret, Ephesians 3:10.
Read John Trapp on Romans 16 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 25. Now to him] In Clarke's note at "Romans 14:23", I have shown that this and the following verses are by the most reputable MSS. and versions placed at the end of that chapter, which is supposed by most critics to be their proper place. Some of the arguments adduced in favour of this transposition may be found in the note above mentioned. I shall therefore refer to Griesbach, and proceed to make a few short remarks on the verses as they occur here. Of power to stablish you] To that God, without whom nothing is wise, nothing strong; who is as willing to teach as he is wise; as ready to help as he is strong. According to my Gospel] That Gospel which explains and publishes God's…
Read AdamClarke on Romans 16 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges25–27. Final Doxology to the Giver and Revealer of the universal Gospel of Salvation by Faith25. Now to him, &c.] The construction of this Doxology is irregular; for in Romans 16:27 the lit. Gr. is, To God only wise, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever. Amen; and the relative pronoun “to whom” is redundant. (See further on that verse.) The practical meaning, however, is clear. The whole is a Doxology to the Eternal Father, through the Son, for the gift and manifestation of the world-wide Salvation by Faith, which prophets had foretold and which was now at last fully proclaimed.—On the questions raised about this Doxology, see Introduction, ii. § 3.to stablish you] Cp. Romans…
Read Cambridge on Romans 16 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleNow to him - This and the two following verses are found in many manuscripts at the close of Rom. 14. Its proper place, however, is here; and the apostle thus concludes the whole Epistle with an ascription of praise.
Read Albert Barnes on Romans 16 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible25. To him—Reiterated in Romans 16:27, To God. Of power—Literally, able.Stablish you—Not merely in accordance with 18, 19, but in the faith of this entire epistle. My gospel—As expounded in this book of Romans.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Romans 16 →The verse in English, compared — 7 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you by my gospel and by the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery concealed for ages past
Tyndale line
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,
To him nowe that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and preaching of Iesus Christ, by the reuelation of the mysterie, which was kept secrete since the worlde began:
Simplified
Now to him who is able to make you strong in agreement with the good news which I gave you and the preaching of Jesus Christ, in the light of the revelation of that secret which has been kept through times eternal,
Now to him who can make you strong Through the good news I share and the message of Jesus Christ, According to the mystery of truth that has been revealed, The mystery of truth, hidden for eternity,
Strictly literal
And to Him who is able to establish you, according to my good news, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the secret, in the times of the ages having been kept silent,
T4T (Translation for Translators), PEV (Plain English Version) are not shown above. They restate the passage rather than the verse, so there is no line of English to set beside the others — which is a fact about those translations, not a fault in them.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the Nestle 1904 treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The earliest translations — Latin and Syriac
Every translation is an argument about meaning made by someone who had to commit to one. These two were made while the Greek was still a living language, and they are the oldest opinions we have about what this verse says.
Ei autem, qui potens est vos confirmare juxta Evangelium meum, et prædicationem Jesu Christi, secundum revelationem mysterii temporibus æternis taciti
Jerome revised the Old Latin against the Greek from AD 382; the Latin west read this text for a thousand years.
ܐܬܓܠܝ ܕܝܢ ܒܙܒܢܐ ܗܢܐ ܒܝܕ ܟܬܒܐ ܕܢܒܝܐ ܘܒܦܘܩܕܢܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܕܠܥܠܡ ܐܬܝܕܥ ܠܟܠܗܘܢ ܥܡܡܐ ܠܡܫܡܥܐ ܕܗܝܡܢܘܬܐ
The Bible of the Syriac-speaking church, in the language nearest to the Aramaic Jesus spoke.
Shown verse by verse rather than word by word: aligning a Greek word to its Latin or Syriac counterpart automatically would be guesswork, and a wrong alignment is worse than none.