The Meaning of Romans 15:31 Explained

Romans 15:31

KJV: That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

YLT: that I may be delivered from those not believing in Judea, and that my ministration, that is for Jerusalem, may become acceptable to the saints;

Darby: that I may be saved from those that do not believe in Judaea; and that my ministry which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

ASV: that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea, and that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That  I may be delivered  from  them that do not believe  in  Judaea;  and  that  my  service  which  [I have] for  Jerusalem  may be  accepted  of the saints; 

What does Romans 15:31 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Paul identified two immediate prayer requests. One was safety from the opposition of hostile unbelieving Jews (cf. Acts 9:29-30) and the distrust of Jewish Christians. The other was that the Jewish Christians would receive the monetary gift of their Gentile brethren. If they did not, the unity of the body would be in jeopardy.

Context Summary

Romans 15:22-33 - Ambitious To Render Service
The Apostle felt that it was in the line of the divine will that he should visit Rome, Romans 1:10. Relying, as he did, on the efficacy of prayer, it is not surprising to find him urging his Roman friends to unite with him in asking, as in Romans 15:31-32, that his way may be made plain. The prayer was not answered quite as he expected. He little thought that he would come as a prisoner, bound to a soldier, and at the expense of the Roman Empire. Yet he came with joy, and found refreshment and rest with the beloved circle of disciples whom he enumerates in the following chapter. How little do the most of us know of this striving in prayer! But how near we get to absent friends when we pray like this! "Strive together with me."
The love of the Spirit is a very delightful phrase. It bears witness to the personality of the Holy Spirit, for love cannot be attributed to an influence. It also shows the confidence with which we may commit ourselves to His gracious indwelling and prompting. He is the Holy Spirit, but we need not shrink from Him as an awful guest. It also reminds us how deeply He may be grieved. There is no grief so poignant as that which is suffered by love. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 15

1  The strong must bear with the weak
2  We must not please ourselves;
3  for Christ did not so;
7  but receive one another, as Christ did us all;
8  both Jews and Gentiles;
15  Paul excuses his writing;
28  and promises to see them;
30  and requests their prayers

Greek Commentary for Romans 15:31

That I may be delivered [ινα ρυστω]
First aorist passive subjunctive of ρυομαι — ruomai old verb to rescue. This use of ινα — hina is the sub-final one after words of beseeching or praying. Paul foresaw trouble all the way to Jerusalem (Acts 20:23; Acts 21:4, Acts 21:13). [source]
May be acceptable to the saints [ευπροσδεκτος τοις αγιοις γενηται]
“May become (second aorist middle subjunctive of γινομαι — ginomai) acceptable to the saints.” The Judaizers would give him trouble. There was peril of a schism in Christianity. [source]
Them that do not believe [τῶν ἀπειθούντων]
See on Romans 10:21. Better, Rev., them that are disobedient. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 15:31

Acts 21:19 One by one [κατ ενα εκαστον]
According to each one (item) and the adverbial phrase used as an accusative after the verb εχηγειτο — exēgeito as Demosthenes does (1265), though it could be like κατ ενα εκαστος — kath' hena hekastos in Ephesians 5:33. Which (ων — hōn). Genitive attracted from α — ha (accusative) into the case of the unexpressed antecedent τουτων — toutōn God had wrought Summary constative aorist active indicative that gathers up all that God did and he takes pains to give God the glory. It is possible that at this formal meeting Paul observed an absence of warmth and enthusiasm in contrast with the welcome accorded by his friends the day before (Acts 21:17). Furneaux thinks that Paul was coldly received on this day in spite of the generous offering brought from the Gentile Christians. “It looks as though his misgiving as to its reception (Romans 15:31) was confirmed. Nor do we hear that the Christians of Jerusalem later put in so much as a word on his behalf with either the Jewish or the Roman authorities, or expressed any sympathy with him during his long imprisonment at Caesarea” (Furneaux). The most that can be said is that the Judaizers referred to by James do not appear actively against him. The collection and the plan proposed by James accomplished that much at any rate. It stopped the mouths of those lions. [source]
Acts 21:19 God had wrought [εποιησεν ο τεος]
Summary constative aorist active indicative that gathers up all that God did and he takes pains to give God the glory. It is possible that at this formal meeting Paul observed an absence of warmth and enthusiasm in contrast with the welcome accorded by his friends the day before (Acts 21:17). Furneaux thinks that Paul was coldly received on this day in spite of the generous offering brought from the Gentile Christians. “It looks as though his misgiving as to its reception (Romans 15:31) was confirmed. Nor do we hear that the Christians of Jerusalem later put in so much as a word on his behalf with either the Jewish or the Roman authorities, or expressed any sympathy with him during his long imprisonment at Caesarea” (Furneaux). The most that can be said is that the Judaizers referred to by James do not appear actively against him. The collection and the plan proposed by James accomplished that much at any rate. It stopped the mouths of those lions. [source]
2 Corinthians 6:2 The accepted time [καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος]
Rev., acceptable. Paul uses for the simple adjective of the Septuagint a compound “well -received,” which is stronger, and which occurs mostly in his own writings. See Romans 15:16, Romans 15:31; 1 Peter 2:5; and compare acceptable year, Luke 4:19. [source]
1 Timothy 2:3 Acceptable [ἀπόδεκτον]
PastoCompare ἀποδοχή acceptation 1 Timothy 1:15, and Paul's εὐρόσδεκτος acceptable Romans 15:16, Romans 15:31; 2 Corinthians 6:2; 2 Corinthians 7:12. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 15:31 mean?

so that I may be delivered from those refusing to be persuaded in - Judea and the service of me which [is] in Jerusalem acceptable to the saints may be
ἵνα ῥυσθῶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπειθούντων ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ καὶ διακονία μου εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ εὐπρόσδεκτος τοῖς ἁγίοις γένηται

ἵνα  so  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ἵνα  
Sense: that, in order that, so that.
ῥυσθῶ  I  may  be  delivered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: ῥύομαι  
Sense: to draw to one’s self, to rescue, to deliver.
τῶν  those 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀπειθούντων  refusing  to  be  persuaded 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἀπειθέω  
Sense: not to allow one’s self to be persuaded.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίᾳ  Judea 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰουδαία  
Sense: in a narrower sense, to the southern portion of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, and Idumaea.
διακονία  service 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: διακονία 
Sense: service, ministering, esp.
μου  of  me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
  which  [is] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰερουσαλὴμ  Jerusalem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἰερουσαλήμ  
Sense: denotes either the city itself or the inhabitants.
εὐπρόσδεκτος  acceptable 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: εὐπρόσδεκτος  
Sense: well received, accepted, acceptable.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἁγίοις  saints 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἅγιος  
Sense: most holy thing, a saint.
γένηται  may  be 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.