Romans 15:18-19
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Paul isn't just being humble; he's drawing a sharp line, emphasizing that he'll only boast in what Christ actively accomplished through him. This means he won't claim any credit for himself, nor will he speak of successes that didn't genuinely happen through his ministry, making his claims of obedience from the Gentiles a testament to Christ's power, not his own.
For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is shifting from acknowledging his boasting in God to explaining the basis for that boasting, emphasizing that his achievements are entirely Christ's work through him. He's not boasting in himself but in the power of Christ working through his ministry to bring Gentiles to obedience, whether through preaching or miraculous deeds. This leads into his description of the vast geographical reach of his gospel ministry.
Paul is about to highlight his incredible ministry to the Gentiles. But how does he begin? Not with a bang, but with a profound statement of humility. What does this tell us about genuine spiritual achievement?
Paul starts this section by declaring he will not speak of anything that Christ hasn't accomplished through him. This isn't false modesty; it's a deep-seated recognition that all spiritual success belongs to God.
The Source of Ministry
Paul's mission was groundbreaking: bringing the message of Christ to non-Jewish people. What was the nature of this 'obedience' he helped foster among them?
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The 'obedience' mentioned here isn't just a passive compliance, but a radical transformation of life for the Gentiles. It was about turning from their former ways to embrace the Gospel.
A New Way of Living
Understand the original words
hypakoē · Greek Noun
The state of being submissive to God's will and revealed Word, which is the necessary response of faith to the message of the gospel.
sēmeia kai terata · Greek Noun phrase
Miraculous events or divine displays intended to authenticate the message of the gospel and reveal the reality of God's kingdom.
Paul's assertion in Romans 15:18 stems from his extensive missionary work among the Gentiles, a mission he consistently viewed not as his own achievement, but as Christ's work operating through him by both teaching and supernatural signs.
c. AD 31-33
Paul's Conversion and Early Ministry
After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul began his ministry in Arabia and Damascus, proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah.
c. AD 46-48
First Missionary Journey
Paul, along with Barnabas, embarked on his first major missionary journey, traveling through Cyprus and Asia Minor, establishing churches among both Jews and Gentiles.
c. AD 49
Jerusalem Council
A pivotal council in Jerusalem addressed the issue of Gentile inclusion in the church, ultimately affirming that Gentiles did not need to become Jews to follow Christ.
c. AD 50-52
Second Missionary Journey
Paul's second journey took him through Asia Minor and into Europe, establishing significant churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Corinth.
c. AD 53-57
Third Missionary Journey
This extensive journey focused on reinforcing existing churches in Asia Minor and Greece, with a significant period spent in Ephesus.
c. AD 57— this verse
Writing of Romans
Paul writes his letter to the Romans from Corinth, likely during his third missionary journey, summarizing his theology and outlining his future plans.
c. AD 60-62
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul arrives in Rome to appeal his case before Caesar, where he remains under house arrest for two years, continuing to preach and write.
Paul here echoes this sentiment, attributing his extraordinary grace and tireless labor not to himself, but to the enabling power of Christ working within him, directly mirroring Romans 15:18's focus on Christ's work through the apostle.
Galatians 2:8This passage highlights God's work through Peter in establishing the church among the Jews, and then through Paul among the Gentiles, emphasizing that God sovereignly directs His workers to specific fields, aligning with Paul's careful delimitation of his own ministry in Romans 15:18.
2 Corinthians 10:17Paul explicitly states that 'whoever glories, let him glory in the Lord,' reinforcing the idea presented in Romans 15:18 that all genuine spiritual accomplishment is ultimately from God and should be attributed to Him.
Acts 14:3This passage shows that the Lord bore witness to the message of the gospel by granting signs and wonders through the apostles' hands, directly illustrating Paul's point in Romans 15:18 that Christ worked through him 'by word and deed,' including miraculous works.
jfbRomans 15:18: "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,"
18-22. For I will not dare to speak of any—"to speak aught"of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me—a modest, though somewhat obscure form of expression, meaning, "I will not dare to go beyond what Christ hath wrought by me"—in which form accordingly the rest of the passage is expressed. Observe here how Paul ascribes all the succes…
gillRomans 15:18: "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,"
For I will not dare to speak of any of those things,.... He suggests that the false teachers did speak of things which were not done by them at all, and much less were what Christ had done by them; and signifies that he was a conscientious man, and could speak nothing but what was truth; his conscience would not suffer him, nor could he allow…
Paul isn't just being humble; he's drawing a sharp line, emphasizing that he'll only boast in what Christ actively accomplished through him. This means he won't claim any credit for himself, nor will he speak of successes that didn't genuinely happen through his ministry, making his claims of obedience from the Gentiles a testament to Christ's power, not his own.
Paul is shifting from acknowledging his boasting in God to explaining the basis for that boasting, emphasizing that his achievements are entirely Christ's work through him. He's not boasting in himself but in the power of Christ working through his ministry to bring Gentiles to obedience, whether through preaching or miraculous deeds. This leads into his description of the vast geographical reach of his gospel ministry.
Paul is shifting from acknowledging his boasting in God to explaining the basis for that boasting, emphasizing that his achievements are entirely Christ's work through him. He's not boasting in himself but in the power of Christ working through his ministry to bring Gentiles to obedience, whether through preaching or miraculous deeds. This leads into his description of the vast geographical reach of his gospel ministry.
"For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and…" — Paul isn't just being humble; he's drawing a sharp line, emphasizing that he'll only boast in what Christ actively accomplished through him. This means he won't claim any credit for himself, nor…
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Last reviewed October 2026
