Romans 16:23
in Romans 16Gaius, who has hosted me and all the church, sends you greetings. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you greetings, as does our brother Quartus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Gaius my host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the treasurer of the city saluteth you, and Quartus the brother.
KJV
Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
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This verse in Romans 16
Commentary
14 notes on this verseGaius mine host,.... There was one Gaius a Macedonian, that was with the apostle at Ephesus, Act 19:29; and another Gaius of Derbe, that accompanied him into Asia, Act 20:4; whether either of these, as the latter seems more probable, was this person, is not certain.
This site's exposition
Timothy, my fellow worker
on Romans 16:21-24
The circle around Paul at Corinth sends greetings to Rome, and Tertius, who wrote the letter down, adds a line of his own. Gaius hosted Paul and the whole church, and Erastus held the office of city treasurer. Quartus closes the list with the plainest title in it, brother.
This site's exposition
Erastus, the city treasurer
Origen and Theodoret identify Gaius with the Corinthian Paul baptized at 1 Corinthians 1:14. Theodoret links Erastus to 2 Timothy 4:20, where an Erastus stays at Corinth. Both men tie the letter to Corinth.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
I think that this is the same Gaius to whom John wrote rejoicing in the love which he showed to the brethren by being always ready to meet their needs.
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus the brother. I think this is the same Erastus of whom he says that he remained at Corinth, and who appears to be designated the steward of the city. But I do not think that Paul would have made such notable mention of this office in his Epistle, unless perhaps he perceived something further in him, and called him treasurer — that is, steward — of that city whose maker and builder is God; and for that reason he did not put down of which city he was, but only named him treasurer of "the city." Whether, then, it is to be taken in some such manner, or rather quite simply, and nothing deeper is to be sought in Paul's writings, consider, you who read.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusINTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS · Written before 458.
proposed
The highest praise is reserved for hospitality on such a scale.… Gaius was a Corinthian, as appears from 1 Corinthians [1:14]: "I thank my God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius." … Erastus is also mentioned elsewhere, in 2 Timothy [4:20].
A commentator
Origen of AlexandriaCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS · Written before 253.
proposed
Gaius my host, and host of the whole Church, greets you. This Gaius is understood to be the one whom he mentions in writing to the Corinthians, saying: I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius.
"Gaius mine host, and of the whole Church, saluteth you." See what a crown he has framed for him by bearing witness to such great hospitality in him, and brought in the entire Church into this man's house! For by the word used here, he means a host, not a guest. But when you hear that he was Paul's host, do not admire him for his munificence only, but also for his strictness of life. For except he were worthy of Paul's excellency, he would never have lodged there, since he, who took pains to go beyond many of Christ's commands, would never have trespassed against that law, which bids us be very particular about who receive us, and about lodging with "worthy" persons. "Erastus, the chamberlain of the city, salutes you, and Quartus a brother." There is a purpose in his adding "the chamberlain of the city," for as he wrote to the Philippians, "They of Caesar's household salute you," that he might show that the Gospel had taken a hold upon great folk, so here too he mentions the title with a view to the same object, and to show that, to the man who gives heed, neither riches are a hindrance, nor the cares of government, nor anything else of the kind.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
That is, the one who received me in his house. Furthermore, that Gaius received in his home the whole Church and Paul himself, this is great praise; for Paul would not have gone to him if he had not found him worthy. The steward and …
Then he says: Caius, my host, was the person to whom John wrote in his third letter commending the charity he exercised toward the saints; and the whole church, namely, who were assembled in his house or who were in that region. Then he says: …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It was no disparagement to the chamberlain of the city to be a preacher of the gospel of Christ. Quartus is likewise mentioned, and called a brother; for as one is our Father, even Christ, so all we are brethren. Description of the Gospel;
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It would appear that he was one of only two persons whom Paul baptized with his own hand (compare 3Jo 1). His Christian hospitality appears to have been something uncommon. Erastus the chamberlain--"treasurer." of the city--doubtless of Corinth.
Gaius mine host - Gaius in Greek is the same as Caius in Latin, which was a very common name among the Romans. St. Luke (Act 19:29) mentions one Gaius of Macedonia, who was exposed to much violence at Ephesus in the tumult excited by Demetrius the silversmith against St. Paul and his companions; and it is very possible that this was the same person. He is here called not only the host ξενος, the entertainer of St. Paul, or Tertius, (if he wrote this and the following verse), but also of the whole Church: that is, he received and lodged the apostles who came from different places, as well as the messengers of the Churches. All made his house their home; and he must have been a person of considerable property to be able to bear this expense; and of much piety and love to the cause of Christ, else he had not employed that property in this way. Erastus the chamberlain of the city - Treasurer of the city of Corinth, from which St. Paul wrote this epistle. This is supposed to be the same person as is mentioned Act 19:22. He was one of St. Paul’s companions, and, as appears from 2Ti 4:20, was left about this time by the apostle at Corinth. He is called the chamberlain οικονομος, which signifies the same as treasurer; he to whom the receipt and expenditure of the public money were intrusted. He received the tolls, customs, etc., belonging to the city, and out of them paid the public expenses. Such persons were in very high credit; and if Erastus was at this time treasurer, it would appear that Christianity was then in considerable repute in Corinth. But if the Erastus of the Acts was the same with the Erastus mentioned here, it is not likely that he now held the office, for this could not at all comport with his travelling with St. Paul. […]
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Gaius mine host - Who has received me into his house, and shown me hospitality. The word “host” means one who entertains another at his own house without reward. And of the whole church - Who has opened his house to entertain “all” Christians; or to show hospitality to them all. He was baptized by Paul himself at Corinth 1Co 1:14; and was so highly esteemed by the church that John wrote an epistle to him; 3Jn 1:
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀσπάζεται | aspazetai | Greets | G782 → | 57 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| Γάϊος | gaios | Gaius | G1050 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ξένος | xenos | host | G3581 → | |
| μου | mou | of mine | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὅλης | holes | of all | G3650 → | 109 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐκκλησίας.¶ | ekklesias | church. | G1577 → | 113 times |
| Ἀσπάζεται | aspazetai | Greets | G782 → | 57 times |
| ὑμᾶς | humas | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| Ἔραστος | erastos | Erastus | G2037 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκονόμος | oikonomos | steward | G3623 → | |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλεως | poleos | city | G4172 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| Κούαρτος | kouartos | Quartus | G2890 → | |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφός.¶ | adelphos | brother. | G80 → | 343 times |
ἈσπάζεταιGreets
aspazetaiG782 →57 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ΓάϊοςGaius
gaiosG1050 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ξένοςhost
xenosG3581 →
μουof mine
mouG3165 →1936 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὅληςof all
holesG3650 →109 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἐκκλησίας.¶church.
ekklesiasG1577 →113 times
ἈσπάζεταιGreets
aspazetaiG782 →57 times
ὑμᾶςyou
humasG4771 →2973 times
ἜραστοςErastus
erastosG2037 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
οἰκονόμοςsteward
oikonomosG3623 →
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
πόλεωςcity
poleosG4172 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ΚούαρτοςQuartus
kouartosG2890 →
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφός.¶brother.
adelphosG80 →343 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
Acts 20:4Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
it leads to
- Acts 19:29
Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Timothy 4:20
Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 6:21
Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful servant in the Lord, will tell you everything, so that you also may know about me and what I am doing.
- Colossians 4:7
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant in the Lord.
- Titus 3:12
As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, make every effort to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there.
- Acts 19:29
Through
1 Corinthians 1:14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,
it leads to
- Acts 18:8
Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his whole household believed in the Lord. And many of the Corinthians who heard the message believed and were baptized.
- Acts 18:8
Through
2 Timothy 4:20Erastus has remained at Corinth, and Trophimus I left sick in Miletus.
it leads to
- Acts 20:4
Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.
- Acts 19:22
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
- Acts 20:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
What the record shows
1 entry- Erastus — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Erastus pavement inscription, Corinth ('Erastus...aedile laid [this pavement] at his own expense')
Biblical figure (City official (oikonomos) of Corinth, mid-1st c. AD) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: The pavement names an aedile — a magistrate over public works — while Romans 16:23 calls Erastus the city's oikonomos, a financial steward; the two titles are not the same office, and Erastus was a common name in Corinth. Justin Meggitt and Steven Friesen have both argued the identification fails on those grounds. Gerd Theissen's reply, that the same man could have been quaestor and then aedile, is a proposal rather than evidence.
About Romans

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 13 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, Homily on Romans 32; 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; Theodoret of Cyrus, INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans; Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans and William Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveller and the Roman Citizen.
