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Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Romans 1:14

I have a duty to all people—Greeks and those who are not Greeks, the wise and the foolish.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Barbarian;   Catholicity;   Minister, Christian;   Salvation;   Zeal, Religious;   Scofield Reference Index - Holy Spirit;   Thompson Chain Reference - Barbarians;   Bigotry-Catholicity;   Catholicity;   Debtors;   Greeks;   Spiritual;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Missionary Work by Ministers;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Barbarian;   Debtor;   Gentiles;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Debt;   Evangelist;   Greece;   Rome;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mind/reason;   Nations, the;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Christianity;   Judgment, Last;   Omnipotence of God;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Barbarian;   Gentiles;   Greek;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Barbarian;   Melita;   Paul;   Romans, the Epistle to the;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Barbarian;   Letter Form and Function;   Romans, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Barbarian;   Galatians, Epistle to the;   Greeks, Grecians;   Love, Lover, Lovely, Beloved;   Mystery;   Paul the Apostle;   Person of Christ;   Races;   Romans, Epistle to the;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Athens ;   Barbarian;   Debt, Debtor;   Gentiles;   Grecians Greeks;   Grecians, Greeks;   Mercy;   Peter;   Romans Epistle to the;   Tongue ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Barbarian,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Barbarian;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Gentile;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barbarian;   Debt;   Grecians;   Paul, the Apostle;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for February 20;   My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for July 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish.
King James Version (1611)
I am debter both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise, and to the vnwise.
King James Version
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
English Standard Version
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
New American Standard Bible
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to the uncultured, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Amplified Bible
I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Legacy Standard Bible
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Berean Standard Bible
I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.
Contemporary English Version
It doesn't matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone. That's why I am eager to visit all of you in Rome.
Complete Jewish Bible
I owe a debt to both civilized Greeks and uncivilized people, to both the educated and the ignorant;
Darby Translation
I am a debtor both to Greeks and barbarians, both to wise and unintelligent:
Easy-to-Read Version
I must serve all people—those who share in Greek culture and those who are less civilized, the educated as well as the ignorant.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I am detter both to the Grecians, and to the Barbarians, both to the wise men and vnto the vnwise.
George Lamsa Translation
Greeks and Barbarians, the wise and the unwise; for it is my duty to preach to everybody.
Good News Translation
For I have an obligation to all peoples, to the civilized and to the savage, to the educated and to the ignorant.
Lexham English Bible
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Literal Translation
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise, and to foolish,
American Standard Version
I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Bible in Basic English
I have a debt to Greeks and to the nations outside; to the wise and to those who have no learning.
Hebrew Names Version
I am debtor both to Yevanim and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
International Standard Version
Both to Greeks and to barbarians,[fn] both to wise and to foolish people, I am a debtor.1 Corinthians 9:16;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
that among you also I may have fruit as among the rest of the nations of the Javnoyee and Barbaroyee, the wise and the foolish,
Murdock Translation
Greeks and barbarians, the wise and the unwise: for to every man am I a debtor, to preach [fn] .
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I am debter both to the grekes, and to the barbarous, both to the wyse, and to the vnwise.
English Revised Version
I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
World English Bible
I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I am a debtor both to the Greeks and the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.
Weymouth's New Testament
I am already under obligations alike to Greek-speaking races and to others, to cultured and to uncultured people:
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To Grekis and to barberyns, to wise men and to vnwise men,
Update Bible Version
I am debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Webster's Bible Translation
I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians, both to the wise, and to the unwise.
New English Translation
I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
New King James Version
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
New Living Translation
For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.
New Life Bible
I must help the people who have had a chance to hear the Good News and those who have not. I must help those with much learning and those who have never learned from books.
New Revised Standard
I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to unwise, a debtor, I am:
Douay-Rheims Bible
To the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the wise and to the unwise, I am a debtor.
Revised Standard Version
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish:
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For I am detter both to the Grekes and to them which are no Grekes vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned.
Young's Literal Translation
Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to thoughtless, I am a debtor,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I am detter both to the Grekes, and to the vngrekes, to the wyse and to the vnwyse.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I owe what service I can do to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, to the learned, and to the illiterate.
Simplified Cowboy Version
I've been called to ride with real hands and city slickers, smart people and not so smart people.

Contextual Overview

8 First I want to say that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because people everywhere in the world are talking about your faith. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart by telling the Good News about his Son, knows that I always mention you 10 every time I pray. I pray that I will be allowed to come to you, and this will happen if God wants it. 11 I want very much to see you, to give you some spiritual gift to make you strong. 12 I mean that I want us to help each other with the faith we have. Your faith will help me, and my faith will help you. 13 Brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I planned many times to come to you, but this has not been possible. I wanted to come so that I could help you grow spiritually as I have helped the other non-Jewish people. 14 I have a duty to all people—Greeks and those who are not Greeks, the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I want so much to preach the Good News to you in Rome.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

debtor: Romans 8:12, Romans 13:8,*Gr: Acts 9:15, Acts 13:2-4, Acts 22:21, Acts 26:17, Acts 26:18, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, 2 Timothy 2:10

Greeks: Acts 28:4, 1 Corinthians 14:11, Colossians 3:11

both to: Romans 1:22, Romans 11:25, Romans 12:16, Romans 16:19, Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21, 1 Corinthians 1:19-22, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Corinthians 9:16, 2 Corinthians 10:12, 2 Corinthians 11:19, Ephesians 5:15-17, James 3:17, James 3:18

to the unwise: Proverbs 1:22, Proverbs 8:5, Isaiah 35:8, 1 Corinthians 14:16, 1 Corinthians 14:23, 1 Corinthians 14:24, Titus 3:3

Reciprocal: Matthew 20:27 - whosoever Acts 16:32 - to all Acts 20:21 - to the Jews Acts 28:2 - barbarous Romans 15:19 - fully 1 Corinthians 9:19 - I made 2 Corinthians 11:28 - the care Galatians 1:16 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the sky and the earth.
Genesis 1:2
The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean, and God's Spirit was moving over the water.
Genesis 1:3
Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, so he divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:6
Then God said, "Let there be something to divide the water in two."
Genesis 1:7
So God made the air and placed some of the water above the air and some below it.
Genesis 1:8
God named the air "sky." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the second day.
Genesis 1:9
Then God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered together so the dry land will appear." And it happened.
Genesis 1:12
The earth produced plants with grain for seeds and trees that made fruits with seeds in them. Each seed grew its own kind of plant. God saw that all this was good.
Genesis 1:14
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night. These lights will be used for signs, seasons, days, and years.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians,.... The meaning is, that he was obliged by the call he had from God, the injunction that was laid upon him by him, and the gifts with which he was qualified, to preach the Gospel to all sorts of men; who are here distinguished into Greeks and Barbarians: sometimes by Greeks are meant the Gentiles in general, in opposition to the Jews; see Romans 1:16; but here they design only a part of the Gentiles, the inhabitants of Greece, in opposition to all the world besides; for the Greeks used to call all others that were not of themselves Barbarians e: or else by Greeks are meant the more cultivated nations of the world, and by Barbarians the ruder and more uncivil parts of it; to which agrees the next division of mankind,

both to the wise and to the unwise. The Gospel was to be preached "to the wise"; such who thought themselves to be so, and were so with respect to human wisdom and knowledge; though it should be despised by them, as it was, and though few of them were called by it, some were, and still are, though not many; and such wisdom there is in the Gospel, as the wisest of men may learn by it, will be entertaining to them, is far beyond their contempt, and what will serve to exercise their talents and abilities, to search into the knowledge of, and rightly to understand; and it must be preached "to the unwise"; for such God has chosen to confound the wise; these he calls by his grace, and reveals his Gospel to, whilst he hides it from the wise and prudent; and there is that in the Gospel which is plain and easy to the weakest mind, enlightened by the Spirit of God.

e Cornel. Nepos, l. 1. c. 2, 7. & 2, 3. & 3. 6. & 4. 1. & passim. Quint. Curtius, l. 3. c. 4, 7. & 6. 5. & passim.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

I am debtor - This does not mean that they had conferred any favor on him, which bound him to make this return, but that he was under obligation to preach the gospel to all to whom it was possible. This obligation arose from the favor that God had shown him in appointing him to this work. He was specially chosen as a vessel to bear the gospel to the Gentiles Acts 9:15; Romans 11:13, and he did not feel that he had discharged the obligation until he had made the gospel known as far as possible among all the nations of the earth.

To the Greeks - This term properly denotes “those who dwelt in Greece.” But as the Greeks were the most polished people of antiquity, the term came to be synonymous with the polished, the refined, the wise, as opposed to barbarians. In this place it doubtless means the same as “the wise,” and includes the Romans also, as it cannot be supposed that Paul would designate the Romans as barbarians. Besides, the Romans claimed an origin from Greece, and Dionysius Halicarnassus (book i.) shows that the Italian and Roman people were of Greek descent.

Barbarians - All who were not included under the general name of Greeks. Thus, Ammonius says that “all who were not Greeks were barbarians.” This term “barbarian,” Βάρβαρος Barbaros, properly denotes one who speaks a foreign language, a foreigner, and the Greeks applied it to all who did not use their tongue; compare 1 Corinthians 14:11, “I shall be unto him that speaketh, a barbarian, etc. that is, I shall speak a language which he cannot understand. The word did not, therefore, of necessity denote any rusticity of manners, or any lack of refinement.

To the wise - To those who esteemed themselves to be wise, or who boasted of their wisdom. The term is synonymous with “the Greeks,” who prided themselves much in their wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:22, “the Greeks seek after wisdom;” compare 1 Corinthians 1:19; 1Co 3:18-19; 1 Corinthians 4:10; 2 Corinthians 11:19.

Unwise - Those who were regarded as the ignorant and unpolished part of mankind. The expression is equivalent to ours, ‘to the learned and the unlearned.’ It was an evidence of the proper spirit to be willing to preach the gospel to either. The gospel claims to have power to instruct all mankind, and they who are called to preach it, should be able to instruct those who esteem themselves to be wise, and who are endowed with science, learning, and talent; and they should be willing to labor to enlighten the most obscure, ignorant, and degraded portions of the race. This is the true spirit of the Christian ministry.

So, as much as in me is - As far as opportunity may be offered, and according to my ability.

I am ready ... - I am prepared to preach among you, and to show the power of the gospel, even in the splendid metropolis of the world. He was not deterred by any fear; nor was he indifferent to their welfare; but he was under the direction of God. and as far as he gave him opportunity, he was ready to make known to them the gospel, as he had done at Antioch, Ephesus, Athens, and Corinth.

This closes the introduction or preface to the Epistle. Having shown his deep interest in their welfare, he proceeds in the next verse to state to them the great doctrines of that gospel which he was desirous of proclaiming to them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 1:14. I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians — It has been remarked before that all the nations of the earth, themselves excepted, were termed barbarians by the Greeks. See the origin of the word barbarous in the note on Acts 28:2. The apostle considers himself, by his apostolical office and call, under obligation to preach the Gospel to all people, as far as the providence of God might open his way; for this is implied in the Divine commission:-Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature-to the wise and the unwise; to the learned and cultivated as well as to the unlearned and uncultivated. This evidently appears to be the import of the terms.


 
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