Romans 16:19
in Romans 16Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I rejoice therefore over you: but I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple unto that which is evil.
KJV
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
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This verse in Romans 16
Commentary
13 notes on this verse"I want you," he says, "to be wise in what is good, and simple in what is evil." This is similar to that saying which he writes to the Corinthians: "Be children in malice, that you may be perfect in understanding." But that too which the Lord says, "For the sons of this world are more prudent than the sons of light in their generation," accords with this saying.
This site's exposition
wise about what is good
on Romans 16:19-20
The Roman church's obedience is known everywhere, as their faith was at 1:8. The charge here is to be expert in what is good and untrained in what is evil. Genesis 3:15 stands behind the close, God will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says, "I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil." ...But if, which is rather the true sense, they themselves understand the designation children of simple ones, we glory in the name. For the new minds, which have newly become wise, which have sprung into being according to the new covenant, are infantile in the old folly.
Being "wise as to what is good" means doing good works, while being "guileless as to what is evil" means avoiding unrighteous deeds.
"For your obedience is come abroad unto all men." This he does, not to leave them free to be shameless, but to win them beforehand with encomiums, and the number of his witnesses, to arrest their attention. For neither is it I alone that am the witness, but the whole world. And he does not say for your understanding, but, "your obedience:" that is, their compliance, which was evidence of much meekness in them. "I am glad therefore on your behalf." And this is no small encomium too. Then, after the praise, admonition. For lest, after liberating them from any charges against them, he should make them the more listless, as not being observed; he gives them another hint in the words, "I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil." You see then how he attacks them again, and that without their suspecting it. For this looks like intimating that some of them were apt to be led astray.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
But I beg you, brethren, that you observe those who make dissensions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and turn aside from them. For such do not serve Christ our Lord, but their own belly; and through sweet words and blessings they seduce the hearts of the innocent. For your obedience is everywhere published abroad. In you therefore I rejoice.
The ancient race was perverse and hard-hearted; but the band of infants, the new people which we are, is delicate as a child. On account of the hearts of the innocent, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Romans, owns that he rejoices, and furnishes a kind of definition of children, so to speak, when he says, "I would have you wise toward good, but simple towards evil."
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
They deceive, he said, the simple-hearted. But "your obedience," which comes from great meekness, is known to all: I alone do not bear witness to it, but the whole world. Therefore I rejoice for you, that you were not deceived. He hints at the fact …
He assigns the second reason from a trait of the Romans, who found it easy to follow good and evil. First, he commends them for their readiness to accept the good, saying: for your obedience, by which you obey the faith so easily, is published …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But I would have you - Not only obedient, but discreet also. Wise with regard to that which is good - As knowing in this as possible. And simple with regard to that which is evil - As ignorant of this as possible.
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For your obedience ... - Rom 1:8. Your mild, obedient disposition to learn, and to obey the precepts of the teachers of religion. I am glad ... - I rejoice that you evince such a disposition. But he immediately adds, that “this” was just the temper to be imposed upon, and cautions them against that danger. Wise unto that which is good - Evince understanding of what is adapted to promote good and worthy ends. Simple concerning evil - Greek, “harmless.” Not disposed to do wrong; having no plan and yielding to none of the allurements of evil.
For your obedience is come abroad - The apostle gives this as a reason why they should continue to hear and heed those who had led them into the path of truth, and avoid those false teachers whose doctrines tended to the subversion of their souls. Yet I would have you wise - I would wish you carefully to discern the good from the evil, and to show your wisdom, by carefully avoiding the one and cleaving to the other.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἡ | he | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ὑμῶν | humon | of you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ὑπακοὴ | hupakoe | obedience | G5218 → | 14 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| πάντας | pantas | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ἀφίκετο· | aphiketo | has reached; | G864 → | |
| ἐφ᾽ | eph᾽ | Over | G1909 → | 883 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| οὖν | oun | therefore | G3767 → | 497 times |
| χαίρω. | chairo | I rejoice. | G5463 → | 74 times |
| θέλω | thelo | I wish | G2309 → | 208 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| σοφοὺς | sophous | wise | G4680 → | 19 times |
| εἶναι | einai | to be | G1511 → | 123 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀγαθὸν | agathon | good | G18 → | 102 times |
| ἀκεραίους | akeraious | innocent | G185 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κακόν. | kakon | evil. | G2556 → | 50 times |
ἡThe
heG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ὑμῶνof you
humonG4771 →2973 times
ὑπακοὴobedience
hupakoeG5218 →14 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
πάνταςall
pantasG3956 →1235 times
ἀφίκετο·has reached;
aphiketoG864 →
ἐφ᾽Over
eph᾽G1909 →883 times
ὑμῖνyou
huminG4771 →2973 times
οὖνtherefore
ounG3767 →497 times
χαίρω.I rejoice.
chairoG5463 →74 times
θέλωI wish
theloG2309 →208 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
σοφοὺςwise
sophousG4680 →19 times
εἶναιto be
einaiG1511 →123 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ἀγαθὸνgood
agathonG18 →102 times
ἀκεραίουςinnocent
akeraiousG185 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
κακόν.evil.
kakonG2556 →50 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 2:15so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
it leads to
- Matthew 5:14–16
You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- 1 Peter 2:12
Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.
- Matthew 5:45
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
- Matthew 5:14–16
Through
Matthew 10:16Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
it leads to
- Philippians 2:15
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
- Luke 10:3
Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
- 1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
- Colossians 4:5
Act wisely toward outsiders, redeeming the time.
- Ephesians 5:15–17
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
- Philippians 2:15
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Romans
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 1; Frederic Godet, Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 32; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Robert Haldane, Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.