Romans 16:17-18
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Paul urges believers not just to avoid divisive people, but to actively "mark" them, meaning to observe and identify them carefully. This isn't about shunning them from a distance, but about "turning aside" from their influence, recognizing them as specific stumbling blocks contrary to the teachings they've already received.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul concludes his letter by urging the Roman believers to be alert and actively avoid individuals who sow discord and lead others astray from the teachings they've received. He’s addressing a concern that, while perhaps not widespread in Rome yet, was a common problem in other churches, where false teachers often exploited people's naivety for their own gain. This warning comes after Paul has emphasized unity, particularly between Jewish and Gentile believers, so he’s reminding them to guard the peace and truth he’s worked so hard to establish.
Ever feel like some people just stir up trouble in a group, making things complicated and hard to navigate? Paul understood this all too well.
Paul urgently calls believers to be alert to individuals who create "divisions" and "obstacles." These aren't just minor disagreements; they are serious disruptions.
These disruptions are specifically labeled as being "contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught." This highlights that the core issue is a departure from the foundational truths of the gospel. The goal of these divisive individuals is not to build up but to tear down the community and its faith.
When Paul tells believers to "avoid" certain people, it’s more than just a suggestion. It’s a vital directive for spiritual health.
The command to "avoid them" (ekklinate) is a powerful directive for self-protection and the protection of the church's purity.
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Understand the original words
didachē · Greek Noun
The body of truth, teaching, or apostolic instruction delivered by Christ and his apostles, which serves as the authoritative foundation for Christian faith and conduct.
Christos · Greek Noun
The Master and Messiah; the title reflects both His divine authority and His mediatorial role as the Savior of the Church.
koilia · Greek Noun
The physical or worldly desires, passions, or self-centered cravings that are contrary to the Spirit of God and represent a focus on self rather than on God's kingdom.
akakos · Greek Adjective
Those who are simple, unsuspecting, or lacking spiritual discernment; they are easily misled by false teaching because they lack maturity in the faith.
The church in Rome, though largely Gentile, had a Jewish Christian minority, and Paul's letter aims to bridge their differences. This verse, therefore, directly addresses the real-world challenge of maintaining unity in doctrine and practice amidst potential friction between these groups, or from external false teachers.
c. AD 49
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal council where apostles debated the necessity of Gentile converts following Jewish law, ultimately deciding against it. This decision aimed to foster unity but likely fueled ongoing tensions with Jewish Christians who still adhered to the Law.
c. AD 50-55
Paul's Letters to Corinth
Paul addresses divisions and factions within the Corinthian church, caused by differing loyalties to apostles and by disputes over spiritual gifts and practices. This shows a recurring problem of disunity in early churches.
c. AD 54-56
Paul's Letter to Galatians
Paul vehemently rebukes Galatian churches for succumbing to 'Judaizers' who insisted on circumcision and adherence to the Mosaic Law for Gentile Christians. This highlights a major doctrinal battleground in the early church.
c. AD 57— this verse
Paul writes Romans
Paul writes his letter to the Roman church, a largely Gentile congregation with a significant Jewish Christian minority. A primary aim of the letter is to promote unity and understanding between these groups, particularly concerning practices like dietary laws and holy days.
c. AD 60s
Possible Antinomian or Gnostic influence
Some scholars suggest that later in the 1st century, or perhaps even as the Roman church was developing, subtle influences of Gnosticism or antinomianism (a disregard for moral law) might have begun to emerge, leading to different kinds of 'divisions and stumbling-blocks'.
This passage directly echoes Paul's warning to 'avoid' those who teach differently, cautioning against pointless arguments and the pursuit of wealth, which often fuels divisive behavior.
Titus 3:10-11Similar to Romans 16:17, this verse advises how to handle divisive individuals, suggesting a process of warning them once and then avoiding them, emphasizing that their actions reveal their corrupted state.
Galatians 1:6-9Paul here delivers a strong anathema against anyone preaching a different gospel, highlighting the severe consequences of deviating from the true doctrine, which aligns with the seriousness of Paul's warning in Romans 16:17.
2 John 1:10This verse provides a clear, actionable instruction similar to 'avoid them,' commanding believers not to receive those who do not bring the true teaching of Christ into their homes, reinforcing the need to guard against doctrinal error.
vincentRomans 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
Divisions - offenses (τὰς διχοστασίας - τὰ σκάνδαλα)The article with each noun points to some well-known disturbances. The former noun occurs only in Paul.Avoid (ἐκκλίνατε)Better, as Rev, turn aside. Not only keep out of their way, but remove from it if you fall in with them.
jfbRomans 16:17: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."
- Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned—"which ye learned."and avoid them—The fomentors of "divisions" here referred to are probably those who were unfriendly to the truths taught in this epistle, while those who caused "offenses" were probably those referred…
Paul urges believers not just to avoid divisive people, but to actively "mark" them, meaning to observe and identify them carefully. This isn't about shunning them from a distance, but about "turning aside" from their influence, recognizing them as specific stumbling blocks contrary to the teachings they've already received.
Paul concludes his letter by urging the Roman believers to be alert and actively avoid individuals who sow discord and lead others astray from the teachings they've received. He’s addressing a concern that, while perhaps not widespread in Rome yet, was a common problem in other churches, where false teachers often exploited people's naivety for their own gain. This warning comes after Paul has emphasized unity, particularly between Jewish and Gentile believers, so he’s reminding them to guard the peace and truth he’s worked so hard to establish.
Paul concludes his letter by urging the Roman believers to be alert and actively avoid individuals who sow discord and lead others astray from the teachings they've received. He’s addressing a concern that, while perhaps not widespread in Rome yet, was a common problem in other churches, where false teachers often exploited people's naivety for their own gain. This warning comes after Paul has emphasized unity, particularly between Jewish and Gentile believers, so he’s reminding them to guard the peace and truth he’s worked so hard to establish.
"I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smoot…" — Paul urges believers not just to avoid divisive people, but to actively "mark" them, meaning to observe and identify them carefully. This isn't about shunning them from a distance, but about "turning…
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Last reviewed October 2026
