Romans 1:15
in Romans 1That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also that are in Rome.
KJV
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
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This verse in Romans 1
Commentary
13 notes on this verseSo, as much as in me is, I am ready,.... This explains what he was a debtor to one and another for, namely, to preach the Gospel; expresses the readiness of his mind to that work, whatever difficulties lay in his way; and declares what a willing mind he had to preach it also to the Romans, as elsewhere: to you that are at Rome also; the metropolis of the Roman empire, a very public place, the seat of Satan, and where was the heat of persecution.
This site's exposition
how often I planned to come to you
on Romans 1:13-15
Paul had planned to come to Rome many times and had been prevented each time, wanting a harvest there as he had among the other Gentiles. His obligation runs to Greeks and non-Greeks, to the wise and the foolish alike, which is the whole reach of the world as a Greek reckoned it. That debt is why Rome stands next on his road.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
And most gracefully he added in what follows: "So, as much as in me lies, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you also." He testifies that he is ready, who also says elsewhere: "If I do this willingly, I have a reward." For one is ready to speak to the prudent. But concerning the unwise, we must understand that which he says: "But if unwillingly, a dispensation is entrusted to me"; and: "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel."
Oh, noble soul! having taken on him a task laden of so great dangers, a voyage across the sea, temptations, plottings, risings-for it was likely, that one who was going to address so great a city which was under the tyrannic sway of impiety, should undergo temptations thick as snowflakes; and it was in this way that he lost his life in this city, being cut off by the tyrant of it-yet still expecting to undergo so great troubles, for none of these did he become less energetic, but was in haste and was in travail and was ready-minded. Wherefore he says, "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also."
Paul understood himself to be sent to preach to all nations. Yet he was especially eager to impart the gospel of the grace of God to the Romans, the capital and seat of the empire. For it would be to the benefit and peace of …
The Medieval Church2 voices
And this is a matter of modesty. I, he says, am not bestowing some favor, but am fulfilling the command of the Master, and you should thank God, for He is the benefactor, while I am "obligated." He said the same thing to the Corinthians …
Both reasons account for his readiness of will, so that he says so (as much as is in me), i.e., as far as I am concerned, I am ready, unless prevented, to preach the Gospel to you also who are at Rome: then all the …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
He had heard so much of them that he had a great desire to be better acquainted with them. Fruitful Christians are as much the joy as barren professors are the grief of faithful ministers. Accordingly, he often purposed to come, but was let hitherto (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Paul's Discourse on Justification. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:92%@v16-17
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
I am ready to preach - προθυμον; I have a ready mind. I was only prevented by the providence of God from visiting you long ago. His time is best: in the mean time I write, by his direction, to comfort and instruct you.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also--He feels himself under an all-subduing obligation to carry the gospel to all classes of mankind, as adapted to and ordained equally for all (1Co 9:16).
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2285: “Paul, the Ready” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
I THINK Paul might have used these words as his motto. We had once a Saxon king called Ethelred the Unready. Here we have an Apostle who might be called Paul the Ready. The Lord Jesus no sooner called to him out of Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" than he answered, "Who are You, Lord? " Almost directly after, his question was, "Lord, what will You have me to do?" He was no sooner converted than he was ready for holy service and, "straightway, he preached Christ" in the synagogues at Damascus.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2285: “Paul, the Ready” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
I THINK Paul might have used these words as his motto. We had once a Saxon king called Ethelred the Unready. Here we have an Apostle who might be called Paul the Ready. The Lord Jesus no sooner called to him out of Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?" than he answered, "Who are You, Lord? " Almost directly after, his question was, "Lord, what will You have me to do?" He was no sooner converted than he was ready for holy service and, "straightway, he preached Christ" in the synagogues at Damascus. All through his life, whatever happened to him, he was always ready. If he had to speak to crowds in the street, he had the fitting word, or if to the elite upon Mars' Hill, he was ready for the philosophers. If he talked to the Pharisees, he knew how to address them and when he was brought before the Sanhedrim, and perceived the Pharisaic and Sadducean elements in it, he knew how to avail himself of their mutual jealousies to help his own escape. Watch him before Felix, before Festus, before Agrippa—he is always ready—and when he came to stand before Nero, God was with him and delivered him out of the mouth of the lion. If you find him on board ship, he is ready to comfort men in the storm, and when he gets on shore, a shipwrecked prisoner, he is ready to gather sticks to help to make the fires. At all points he is an all-round man and an all-ready man—always ready to go wherever his Master sends him, and to do whatever his Lord appoints him. In talking at this time about Paul's readiness, I shall, first, dwell for a little while upon the state of Paul's mind, as indicated by his declaration, "I am ready." Secondly, I shall show that this state of mind arose from excellent principles. And, thirdly, I shall point out that this readiness produces admirable results wherever it is to be found. I.
The words behind it
11 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὕτως | houtos | Thus | G3779 → | 208 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | as to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| ἐμὲ | eme | me myself [there is] | G1473 → | 839 times |
| πρόθυμον | prothumon | readiness | G4289 → | |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τοῖς | tois | who [are] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Ῥώμῃ | rhome | Rome | G4516 → | |
| εὐαγγελίσασθαι. | euangelisasthai | to evangelise. | G2097 → | 54 times |
οὕτωςThus
houtosG3779 →208 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
κατ᾽as to
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
ἐμὲme myself [there is]
emeG1473 →839 times
πρόθυμονreadiness
prothumonG4289 →
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
τοῖςwho [are]
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ῬώμῃRome
rhomeG4516 →
εὐαγγελίσασθαι.to evangelise.
euangelisasthaiG2097 →54 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 6:8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!”
it leads to
- Exodus 4:10–13
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- Acts 26:16–17
‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I…
- Ephesians 3:8
Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Acts 22:21
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
- Isaiah 65:1
“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I…
- Exodus 4:10–13
Through
Romans 15:20In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:13–16
We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9–15
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- 2 Corinthians 10:13–16
Through
1 Corinthians 9:17If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility.
it leads to
- Galatians 2:7
On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
- Galatians 2:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Romans
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2285: “Paul, the Ready” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 2; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.