Romans 15:17
in Romans 15Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I have therefore my glorying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.
KJV
I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
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This verse in Romans 15
Commentary
10 notes on this verseI have therefore glory in Christ Jesus toward God. True glorying toward God there is none, except that which is in Christ Jesus. But to glory in God without Christ is much the same as if someone should say that he can have glory with God without righteousness, without wisdom, without truth. For all these things Christ is; and therefore in Christ alone is there true glorying toward God. This is like that which he himself says elsewhere: But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord.
This site's exposition
exult in Christ Jesus
on Romans 15:17-19
Paul places his boasting in Christ Jesus and in his service for God. Christ worked through him to bring the Gentiles to obedience, by word and deed, with signs and wonders by the Spirit's power. Jerusalem to Illyricum marks the ground covered.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"I have therefore whereof I may glory, through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain to God." Inasmuch as he had humbled himself exceedingly, he again raised his style, doing this also for their sakes, lest he should seem to become readily an object of contempt. And while he raises himself, he remembers his own proper temper, and says, "I have therefore whereof to glory." I glory, he means, not in myself, not in our zeal, but in the "grace of God."
Believing and serving Christ Jesus with a pure conscience, Paul has made himself worthy in the sight of God the Father, to the point that he can say that there is nothing which Christ has not done through him for the encouragement of the Gentiles, …
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, I have, therefore, glory in Christ, he shows how he used his apostolic authority. First, he mentions the fruit it produced; second, the greatness of this fruit, at so that; third, he shows the difficulty, at and I have so preached …
Since as before he had greatly humbled himself, now again he elevates his word, lest they consider him contemptible, and says: I boast not of myself and not of my own cares, but of the grace of Christ. In what then do I boast? In …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
I have therefore whereof I may glory,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
I have therefore ... - I have cause of glorying. I have cause of rejoicing that God has made me a minister to the Gentiles, and that he has given me such success among them. The ground of this he states in Rom 15:18-22. Glory - Of “boasting” καύχησιν kauchēsin, the word usually rendered “boasting”); Jas 4:16; Rom 3:27; 2Co 7:14; 2Co 8:24; 2Co 9:3-4; 2Co 10:15; 2Co 11:10, 2Co 11:17. It means also “praise, thanksgiving,” and “joy;” 1Co 15:31; 2Co 1:12; 2Co 7:4; 2Co 8:24; 1Th 2:
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
I have therefore whereof I may glory--or (adding the article, as the reading seems to be), "I have my glorying." through--"in" Christ Jesus in those things which pertain to God--the things of the ministry committed to me of God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:81%@v14-18
I here therefore whereof I may glory - Being sent of God on this most honorable and important errand, I have matter of great exultation, not only in the honor which he has conferred upon me, but in the great success with which he has crowned my ministry.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἔχω | echo | I have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καύχησιν | kauchesin | boasting | G2746 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| Ἰησοῦ | iesou | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| τὰ | ta | the [things] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρὸς | pros | pertaining to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεόν· | theon | God; | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ἜχωI have
echoG2192 →707 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
καύχησινboasting
kauchesinG2746 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
ἸησοῦJesus
iesouG2424 →908 times
τὰthe [things]
taG3588 →19766 times
πρὸςpertaining to
prosG4314 →700 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
θεόν·God;
theonG2316 →1312 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
Philippians 3:3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—
it leads to
- Colossians 2:11
In Him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature, with the circumcision performed by Christ and not by human hands.
- Deuteronomy 30:6
The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.
- Romans 7:6
But now, having died to what bound us, we have been released from the law, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the…
- Galatians 6:13–15
For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
- Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
- Colossians 2:11
Through
2 Corinthians 7:4Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 1:4
who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
- 2 Corinthians 3:12
Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
- 2 Corinthians 1:4
Through
2 Corinthians 12:1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
it leads to
- Galatians 1:12
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 1:12
Where this verse is studied
About Romans

This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Epistle to the Romans; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 29; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.
