Romans 15:16
That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
Study Note
Study Note
'To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit' — Paul's description of his apostolic vocation using cultic vocabulary (leitourgon, priestly service; hierourgounta, handling sacred things; prosphora, offering) presents missionary proclamation as a priestly act. The 'offering of the Gentiles' (hē prosphora tōn ethnōn) is the most theologically dense phrase: either the Gentiles themselves as an offering to God (subjective genitive) or Paul's offering on behalf of Gentiles (objective genitive) — both readings have exegetical support. The Holy Spirit as the agent of sanctification transforms the offering's acceptability, grounding mission success not in apostolic technique but in pneumatic transformation. The verse draws on Isaiah 66:20's vision of the nations being brought as an offering to Jerusalem — Paul's mission is the fulfillment of Israel's eschatological hope.
Other Translations
that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
for my being a servant of Jesus Christ to the nations, acting as priest in the good news of God, that the offering up of the nations may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
To be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, doing the work of a priest in the good news of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be pleasing to God, being made holy by the Holy Spirit.
Cross References
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Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable …
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now …
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye …
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to …