The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "The God of peace" isn't just a general descriptor; it's a direct contrast to the divisive troublemakers Paul just warned against, highlighting that God will bring true peace by crushing Satan's work through their faithfulness. This assurance, rooted in the ancient promise of Genesis 3:15, is a powerful reminder that every act of resistance against division and deception is part of a cosmic victory that is already secured.
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is concluding his letter to the Romans, but before he finishes, he warns them about those who cause divisions and warns them to avoid such people. He reassures them that their obedience is known and encourages them to be wise about evil, promising that the God of peace will soon bring victory over Satan and his agents.
Paul ends his letter with a powerful promise of victory, but it's not just about defeating evil—it's about God establishing His peace.
Paul calls God 'the God of peace,' a title that connects to the troubled state of the church in Rome, likely struggling with internal divisions and false teachings.
A Peace Worth Fighting For
This isn't just a passive peace; it's an active, victorious peace. God, the source of all peace, is the one who will crush Satan. This imagery echoes the very first promise in Genesis 3:15, where the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head.
Victory Through Christ
While Satan works through divisive people and false doctrines, the ultimate victory is assured. This promise isn't just for Paul or the church leaders, but for every believer who stands firm in God's truth.
When Paul says Satan will be crushed 'shortly,' what does he mean? It's not always about our immediate timeline.
The word 'shortly' here carries a sense of divine timing, not necessarily human immediacy. Paul's understanding of 'shortly' could encompass several things:
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A Future Certainty
Even though the struggle with evil continues, this 'shortly' is a powerful assurance. It's a reminder that God's plan is unfolding, and the complete victory is not a matter of 'if,' but 'when.'
After a promise of cosmic victory, Paul concludes with a simple, profound blessing. Why is 'grace' the perfect closing?
The letter culminates in a blessing: 'The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.' This isn't just a polite closing; it's deeply theological and practical.
Grace as Empowerment
Paul understands that facing divisive influences and spiritual opposition requires more than just human effort. We need God's unmerited favor – His grace – to:
A Gift, Not an Earned Reward
This grace is tied directly to Jesus Christ. It's the power that flows from His finished work, enabling believers to live in peace and overcome the enemy, not by their own might, but by His sustaining presence.
Understand the original words
Satanas · Greek Noun
The adversary of God and the accuser of the brethren; the primary spiritual enemy whose ultimate defeat is guaranteed by the victory of Christ.
charis · Greek Noun
The unmerited favor and divine enablement of God, provided through the work of Jesus Christ, which sustains the believer in their walk with God.
Paul's assurance that 'the God of peace will soon crush Satan' directly addresses the immediate threat of division within the Roman church. By linking this promise to the ancient prophecy in Genesis and Christ's own victory, he empowers believers to stand firm against those who would disrupt their peace.
c. 1400 BC
First Promise of Victory
In Genesis, God promises that the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the serpent (Satan), marking the very first assurance of eventual victory over evil.
c. 1st Century AD
Christ's Victory Declared
Jesus Christ defeats Satan through his life, death, and resurrection, spoiling spiritual powers and setting the stage for believers to share in this victory.
c. AD 60-62— this verse
Paul Writes to the Romans
The Apostle Paul writes his letter to the church in Rome, likely from Corinth or Ephesus, addressing theological issues and offering practical instruction.
c. AD 62
Warning Against Division
Paul urges the Roman believers to identify and avoid those causing divisions and leading people astray from the true gospel. These troublemakers are seen as agents of Satan.
This passage contains the very first promise of crushing Satan, referred to directly in Romans 16:20. It establishes the long-standing conflict and ultimate divine victory over the serpent.
Joshua 10:24Here, Joshua commands his soldiers to place their feet on the necks of the defeated enemy kings. This vivid imagery of triumph over enemies mirrors the assurance given in Romans 16:20 that Satan will be crushed underfoot.
1 John 3:8This verse explicitly states that Jesus was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. It aligns with the promise in Romans 16:20 by showing Christ's active role in defeating Satan's power.
Colossians 2:15Paul describes how Christ disarmed the powers and authorities, triumphing over them by the cross. This passage elaborates on the victory that makes the crushing of Satan under believers' feet possible.
jfbRomans 16:20: "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
- And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly—The apostle encourages the Romans to persevere in resisting the wiles of the devil with the assurance that, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, they are "shortly" to receive their discharge, and have the satisfaction of "putting their feet upon the neck" of that formidable enemy—symbol familiar, p…
gillRomans 16:20: "And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."
And the God of peace,.... See Gill on Romans 15:33 ; shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Some read this by way of wish or prayer, "may the God of peace bruise"; so the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and the Alexandrian copy; but others as ours, as a promise, or as expressive of the apostle's faith and hope in this matter; and which he ment…
The phrase "The God of peace" isn't just a general descriptor; it's a direct contrast to the divisive troublemakers Paul just warned against, highlighting that God will bring true peace by crushing Satan's work through their faithfulness. This assurance, rooted in the ancient promise of Genesis 3:15, is a powerful reminder that every act of resistance against division and deception is part of a cosmic victory that is already secured.
Paul is concluding his letter to the Romans, but before he finishes, he warns them about those who cause divisions and warns them to avoid such people. He reassures them that their obedience is known and encourages them to be wise about evil, promising that the God of peace will soon bring victory over Satan and his agents.
Paul is concluding his letter to the Romans, but before he finishes, he warns them about those who cause divisions and warns them to avoid such people. He reassures them that their obedience is known and encourages them to be wise about evil, promising that the God of peace will soon bring victory over Satan and his agents.
"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." — The phrase "The God of peace" isn't just a general descriptor; it's a direct contrast to the divisive troublemakers Paul just warned against, highlighting that God will bring true peace by crushing…
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Last reviewed October 2026