THE GOD OF PEACE WILL CRUSH SATAN

Passage: Romans 16:17-27

Key verse: 20

NIV

17 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.(A) Keep away from them.(B) 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,(C) but their own appetites.(D) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive(E) the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard(F) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.(G)

20 The God of peace(H) will soon crush(I) Satan(J) under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(K)

21 Timothy,(L) my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius,(M) Jason(N) and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.(O)

22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius,(P) whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus,(Q) who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. [24] [a]

25 Now to him who is able(R) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,(S) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery(T) hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings(U) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[b] faith(V)— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.(W)

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts include here May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.
  2. Romans 16:26 Or that is
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Final Instructions and Greetings

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles (A)contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; (B)avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but (C)their own appetites,[a] and (D)by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For (E)your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you (F)to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 (G)The God of peace (H)will soon crush Satan under your feet. (I)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 (J)Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, (K)who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 (L)Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.[b]

Doxology

25 (M)Now to him who is able to strengthen you (N)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (O)according to the revelation of the mystery (P)that was kept secret for (Q)long ages 26 but (R)has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, (S)to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to (T)the only wise God (U)be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 16:18 Greek their own belly
  2. Romans 16:23 Some manuscripts insert verse 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Paul gives a final warning to the church to watch out for those who cause division. He warns of people who deceive naïve people. He wants the church at Rome to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil. We need God’s wisdom daily to discern what is good or evil before God. May we depend on God in prayer every day.

Paul proclaims, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (20) No matter our hardship or difficulty, we have a sure promise that God will crush Satan soon. In fact, Jesus has already won the victory over our powerful enemy Satan. We still struggle with our problems, shortcomings, and weaknesses each day. But we believe God will soon crush Satan under our feet. We will win the complete victory in Christ in our daily lives!

Our sins linger in our hearts: lust, anger, difficulty forgiving and loving, worries, fears, unbelief, etc. God promises that he will soon crush Satan under our feet. Halleluia! May we continue to be renewed in Christ, bless others, and bring others Christ.

God has revealed Christ to us, so we all are able to come to the obedience that comes from faith. May we give glory to God who saved us from the bondage of sin through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Father, thank you for loving us.

One Word: God will soon crush Satan under our feet!