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Selected Verse: Romans 1:11 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ro 1:11 |
King James |
For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift--not any supernatural gift, as the next clause shows, and compare Co1 1:7.
to the end that ye may be established. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
For I long to see you - I earnestly desire to see you; compare Rom 15:23, Rom 15:32.
That I may impart - That I may "give," or communicate to you.
Some spiritual gift - Some have understood this as referring to "miraculous gifts," which it was supposed the apostles had the power of conferring on others. But this interpretation is forced and unnatural. There is no instance where this expression denotes the power of working miracles. Besides, the apostle in the next verse explains his meaning, "That I may be comforted together by the mutual faith," etc. From this it appears that he desired to be among them to exercise the office of the ministry, to establish them in the gospel and to confirm their hopes. He expected that the preaching of the gospel would be the means of confirming them in the faith; and he desired to be the means of doing it. It was a wish of benevolence, and accords with what he says respecting his intended visit in Rom 15:29, "And I am sure that when I come, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ." To make known to them more fully the blessings of the gospel, and thus to impart spiritual gifts, was the design he had in view.
To the end ... - With the design, or purpose.
Ye may be established - That is, that they might be "confirmed" in the truths of the gospel. This was one design of the ministry, that Christians may be established, or strengthened, Eph 4:13. It is not to have dominion ever their faith, but to be "helpers of their joy," Co2 1:24. Paul did not doubt that this part of his office might be fulfilled among the Romans, and he was desirous there also of making full proof of his ministry. His wish was to preach not simply where he must, but where he might. This is the nature of this work. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Some spiritual gift (τι χάρισμα)
Note the modesty in some. Χάρισμα is a gift of grace (χάρις) a favor received without merit on the recipient's part. Paul uses it both in this ordinary sense (Rom 5:15, Rom 5:16; Rom 6:23), and in a special, technical sense, denoting extraordinary powers bestowed upon individuals by the Holy Spirit, such as gifts of healing, speaking with tongues, prophecy, etc. See Rom 12:6; Co1 1:7; Co1 12:4, Co1 12:31; Pe1 4:10. In Ti1 4:14; Ti2 1:6, it is used of the sum of the powers requisite for the discharge of the office of an evangelist.
To the end ye may be established (εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς)
Not that I may establish you. The modest use of the passive leaves out of view Paul's personal part. For established, see on Luk 22:32; see on Pe1 5:10. The word shows that he had in view their christian character no less than their instruction in doctrine. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| That I may impart to you - Face to face, by laying on of hands, prayer, preaching the gospel, private conversation. Some spiritual gift - With such gifts the Corinthians, who had enjoyed the presence of St. Paul, abounded, Co1 1:7; Co1 12:1; Co1 14:1. So did the Galatians likewise, Gal 3:5; and, indeed, all those churches which had had the presence of any of the apostles had peculiar advantages in this kind, from the laying on of their hands, Act 19:6; Act 8:17, &c., Ti2 1:6. But as yet the Romans were greatly inferior to them in this respect; for which reason the apostle, in the twelfth chapter also, says little, if any thing, of their spiritual gifts. He therefore desires to impart some, that they might be established; for by these was the testimony of Christ confirmed among them. That St. Peter had no more been at Rome than St. Paul, at the time when this epistle was wrote, appears from the general tenor thereof, and from this place in particular: for, otherwise, what St. Paul wishes to impart to the Romans would have been imparted already by St. Peter. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Some spiritual gift - This probably means some of the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, which, being given to them, might tend greatly to establish their faith in the Gospel of Christ; and it is very likely that such gifts were only conferred by means of apostles; and as the apostle had not yet been at Rome, consequently the Roman Christians had not yet received any of these miraculous gifts, and thus they differed widely from all the other Churches which had been raised by the apostle's ministry. |
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: