We’re going to study the women mentioned throughout Paul’s mission and while he was imprisoned. We will look at Romans 16. It’s very interesting that Paul has taken care to mention the people of his mission by name. He does this to recognize them for collaborating with him in the work of Christ.

In the Reina Valera 1960 version of the Bible (as well as the New International Version), it starts under the subtitle of “Personal Greetings”. There are a lot of names to look at here, and many of these are women.

Let’s start with verse 1: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae.” Phoebe was probably the messenger, the one that brought Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. At this time, there was the word deacon, which meant something larger than what we use it as today. It means servant. Phoebe was a servant of the church in both material and spiritual giving. She probably was just as important to Paul as Timothy, a leader of the church.

“Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus” (v. 3). Priscilla and Aquila were a married couple who were faithful collaborator with Paul. “They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them” (v. 4). They worked with Paul in both secular work and service to the church.

“Greet also the church that meets at their house” (v. 5a). Priscilla and Aquila were in Rome and continued to do the Lord’s work by having a church that congregated at their home. We know that during this time there weren’t temples, so the first churches took place in houses. We still see that today. When a new church starts, they generally meet in the house of a believer so people can meet together. From there, they are able to preach and reach out to nonbelievers. This was the same custom at this time.

After these two, there appears another woman in verse 7, “Great Andronicus and June, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.” This was a married couple like Priscilla and Aquila, or they could be brother and sister. The Bible doesn’t specify their relationship, but we know they are related, either by marriage or by blood. They were apostles in the larger sense of the word – the first generation of Christians. They were witnesses to Jesus’s work because they had walked with Him. Andronicus and June were highly regarded in the church. They were fellow Jews with Paul and spent time in prison with him, probably for the same reason. It says they believed in Christ before Paul, so they had been Christians for a longer time.

Paul mentions other women in verse 12: “Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.” He recognizes them for their hard work and for serving the Lord.

Let’s continue with verse 13: “Greet Rufo, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.” Rufo’s mother, who doesn’t appear by name, is distinguished as having the same status as Paul’s biological mother. She helped him by feeding him, taking care of him, hiving him advice, etc. She is a mother figure to Paul.

“Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them” (v. 15). In this list of people we find two women, Julia and Nereus’s sister. It says they were saints and they were to be greeted with a holy kiss (v. 16).

In this passage, we’ve only emphasized the women, but if you study this entire chapter, you’ll find many men as well. The people mentioned here were members of the church in Rome. Paul is thankful for them and includes a small detail about each one.

For example, the second half of verse 5 says, “Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.” Espenetus is characterized as the first convert. Andronicus and June were his prison friends. Ampliatus is said to be his friend in Christ, Urbanus as a co-worker in Christ, Apelles was tested for his faith and passed. Paul continues one by one, giving each of them a quality.

They must have all been very important for Paul to mention them by name. What an honor! He remembers each of them and treats them as his sons and daughters, brothers and sisters in Christ. He gives advice to them like a dad or an older brother. “I urge you brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (v. 17-18).

There was always something to be careful about, so they maintained the pure doctrine of the church. He was very energetic about making sure no one taught anything wrong and advised against this type of person, because they don’t serve the Lord. They’re serving themselves by teaching what they want and their own passions.

Paul was always dependent on the church he formed, and recognized their work of growing the church. For us, it’s important to note the women who had a notorious role in the primitive church. In all the churches Paul founded, there were women mentioned there.

We need to recognize the women in our own ministries. We do this in a distinctive way. The women mentioned here are said to be hard workers in the name of the Lord. They worked to support Paul’s mission and provide for his material needs. Some of them are referred to as saints, and some suffered for the cause of the gospel.

Let’s recognize the role of women in the church. From the beginning, they’ve been important. The Lord recognizes it and so does Paul. We should be thankful, because women, like men, are united in Christ – we are equal collaborators and have the same rights and voice.

Thank you, Lord, for the women who appear in this text that inspires us to continue working hard for your kingdom. May God bless you, and thank you for joining us through our Women in the Bible series.