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Selected Verse: Romans 1:9 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ro 1:9	King James	For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
For God . . . whom I serve--the word denotes religious service. with my spirit--from my inmost soul. in the gospel of his Son--to which Paul's whole religious life and official activity were consecrated. is my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers--so for the Ephesians (Eph 1:15-16); so for the Philippians (Phi 1:3-4); so for the Colossians (Col 1:3-4); so for the Thessalonians (Th1 1:2-3). What catholic love, what all-absorbing spirituality, what impassioned devotion to the glory of Christ among men!

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

For God . . . whom I serve--the word denotes religious service.

with my spirit--from my inmost soul.

in the gospel of his Son--to which Paul's whole religious life and official activity were consecrated.

is my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers--so for the Ephesians (Eph 1:15-16); so for the Philippians (Phi 1:3-4); so for the Colossians (Col 1:3-4); so for the Thessalonians (Th1 1:2-3). What catholic love, what all-absorbing spirituality, what impassioned devotion to the glory of Christ among men!

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For God is my witness - The reason of this strong appeal to God is, to show to the Romans the deep interest which he felt in their welfare This interest was manifested in his prayers, and in his earnest desires to see them. A deep interest shown in this way was well suited to prepare them to receive what he had to say to them. Whom I serve - See Rom 1:1; compare Act 17:23. The expression denotes that he was devoted to God in this manner; that he obeyed him; and had given himself to do his will in making known his gospel. With my spirit - Greek, ἐν en, in my spirit, that is, with my "heart." It is not an external service merely; it is internal, real, sincere. He was really and sincerely devoted to the service of God. In the gospel of his Son - In making known the gospel, or as a minister of the gospel. That without ceasing - ἀδιαλείπτως adialeiptōs. This word means constantly, always, without intermission. It was not only once, but repeatedly. It had been the burden of his prayers. The same thing he also mentions in regard to other churches, Th1 1:3; Th1 2:13. I make mention - I call you to remembrance, and present your case before God. This evinced his remarkable interest in a church which he had never seen, and it shows that Paul was a man of prayer; praying not for his friends and kindred only, but for those whom he had never seen. If with the same intensity of prayer all Christians, and Christian ministers, would remember the churches, what a different aspect would the Christian church soon assume! Always - This word should be connected with the following verse, "Always making request," etc.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

For God is my witness - The reason of this strong appeal to God is, to show to the Romans the deep interest which he felt in their welfare This interest was manifested in his prayers, and in his earnest desires to see them. A deep interest shown in this way was well suited to prepare them to receive what he had to say to them.

Whom I serve - See Rom 1:1; compare Act 17:23. The expression denotes that he was devoted to God in this manner; that he obeyed him; and had given himself to do his will in making known his gospel.

With my spirit - Greek, ἐν en, in my spirit, that is, with my "heart." It is not an external service merely; it is internal, real, sincere. He was really and sincerely devoted to the service of God.

In the gospel of his Son - In making known the gospel, or as a minister of the gospel.

That without ceasing - ἀδιαλείπτως adialeiptōs. This word means constantly, always, without intermission. It was not only once, but repeatedly. It had been the burden of his prayers. The same thing he also mentions in regard to other churches, Th1 1:3; Th1 2:13.

I make mention - I call you to remembrance, and present your case before God. This evinced his remarkable interest in a church which he had never seen, and it shows that Paul was a man of prayer; praying not for his friends and kindred only, but for those whom he had never seen. If with the same intensity of prayer all Christians, and Christian ministers, would remember the churches, what a different aspect would the Christian church soon assume!

Always - This word should be connected with the following verse, "Always making request," etc.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
I serve (λατρεύω) See on Luk 1:74. The word was used in a special sense to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Rom 9:4; Act 26:7. Compare Heb 9:1, Heb 9:6. As in his Philippian letter, Paul here appropriates the Jewish word for the spiritual Christian service. See on Phi 3:3.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

I serve (λατρεύω)

See on Luk 1:74. The word was used in a special sense to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Rom 9:4; Act 26:7. Compare Heb 9:1, Heb 9:6. As in his Philippian letter, Paul here appropriates the Jewish word for the spiritual Christian service. See on Phi 3:3.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
God, whom I serve - As an apostle. In my spirit - Not only with my body, but with my inmost soul. In the gospel - By preaching it.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

God, whom I serve - As an apostle. In my spirit - Not only with my body, but with my inmost soul. In the gospel - By preaching it.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Whom I serve with my spirit - λατπευω Whom I worship with the profoundest religious reverence; for so the original certainly means: I not only employ all the powers of my body in this service, but all those of my soul; being thoroughly convinced of the absolute truth of the religion I preach. Probably St. Paul opposes, in this place, the spiritual worship of the Gospel to the external, or what some call the carnal, worship of the Jews. Mine is not a religion of ceremonies, but one in which the life and power of the eternal Spirit are acknowledged and experienced.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Whom I serve with my spirit - λατπευω Whom I worship with the profoundest religious reverence; for so the original certainly means: I not only employ all the powers of my body in this service, but all those of my soul; being thoroughly convinced of the absolute truth of the religion I preach. Probably St. Paul opposes, in this place, the spiritual worship of the Gospel to the external, or what some call the carnal, worship of the Jews. Mine is not a religion of ceremonies, but one in which the life and power of the eternal Spirit are acknowledged and experienced.

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