Lesson sequence
Romans 16: Personal Greetings and Love
Romans 16:1–16; Romans 16:17–20; Romans 16:21–23; Romans 16:25–27
Romans 16 closes with many greetings, a warning about people who divide, greetings from Paul’s companions, and a final praise to God. Children can see that Christian faith includes warm care, careful thinking, and honour to God.
Before you teach
These verses come from the closing part of Romans. Paul names many people, tells the believers to receive and greet one another, warns them to watch out for divisive people, passes on greetings from others with him, and ends with praise to God through Jesus Christ.
Students will identify three closing themes in Romans 16 by naming examples of Christian care, explaining the warning against division, and stating one truth from the final praise to God.
Your lesson sequence
Use the teaching outline below for each session, with these reading and activity choices.
Welcome and honour in the church family
Romans 16:1–16
Students notice that Paul’s many greetings show practical care, respect, and love among believers.
Try together: List several ways people are described in these verses and explain what those descriptions show about Christian relationships.
Watch out for what divides
Romans 16:17–20
Students learn that believers are told to recognise divisive teaching and to be wise in what is good.
Try together: Compare the actions of divisive people with Paul’s instructions to the believers, then give one suitable class example of choosing what is good.
Greetings from fellow workers
Romans 16:21–23
Students see that Paul’s letter includes greetings from several named people connected with the work of the church.
Try together: Identify who sends greetings and note the brief descriptions given about them, such as fellow worker, the one writing the letter, host, treasurer, and brother.
Glory to the only wise God
Romans 14:24–26
Students hear the final praise that says God is able to establish believers and that glory belongs to God through Jesus Christ.
Try together: Underline the main statements in the doxology and retell them in simple words without losing the meaning of the text.
Welcome: Notice the names and the message
4 minBegin by explaining that this lesson sequence looks at the closing of Romans. Ask children to listen for repeated ideas, not just unusual names. Point out that Paul speaks about receiving, greeting, watching out, and giving glory to God. Write those four ideas where everyone can see them.
Romans 16:2, Romans 16:16, Romans 16:17, Romans 14:26
Read and explain: Care for people in the Lord
8 minRead selected verses from Romans 16:1–16. Explain that Phoebe is commended, the church is told to assist her, and many believers are greeted with affection and respect. Show how Paul describes people as fellow workers, beloved, those who laboured, and saints. This helps children see a church family that values real people.
Romans 16:1, Romans 16:2, Romans 16:3, Romans 16:6, Romans 16:12, Romans 16:15, Romans 16:16
Discuss: Be wise about division
6 minRead Romans 16:17–20. Explain that Paul tells the believers to look out for people who cause divisions and stumbling contrary to what they learned. He says such people deceive others with smooth speech. Help children contrast this with being wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
Romans 16:17, Romans 16:18, Romans 16:19, Romans 16:20
Make and respond: Reminder card from the passage
8 minInvite each child to choose one key line from the passage and turn it into a simple reminder card. They may choose welcome and help, greet one another, be wise in good, or glory to God through Jesus Christ. After making the card, each child explains how the words connect to the passage.
Romans 16:2, Romans 16:16, Romans 16:19, Romans 14:26
Closing: From many greetings to praise
4 minFinish by reading the greetings from Paul’s companions and the final doxology. Explain that the chapter ends by widening the view from individual names to the only wise God. Ask the group to say one thing this ending teaches about church life and one thing it teaches about God.
Romans 16:21, Romans 16:22, Romans 16:23, Romans 14:24, Romans 14:25, Romans 14:26
Questions to explore
What does Paul ask the believers to do for Phoebe, and what reasons does he give?
Look for the action words and the description of Phoebe as a sister, servant, and helper of many.
Romans 16:1, Romans 16:2
According to the warning section, what are believers told to watch out for, and how do such people affect others?
Use the exact phrases about causing divisions, occasions of stumbling, smooth speech, and deceiving innocent hearts.
Romans 16:17, Romans 16:18
In the closing praise, what does Paul say God is able to do, and to whom belongs the glory?
Notice the words about God establishing believers and the final sentence about glory through Jesus Christ.
Romans 14:24, Romans 14:26
Make, think or respond
Romans 16 Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or markers
Try it together
- Read four possible key lines aloud from the passage and let each child choose one.
- Fold or cut paper into a small card and copy the chosen words neatly on the front.
- Add a simple drawing or border that matches the message, such as linked hands for greeting or a light bulb for being wise in good.
- On the back, write one sentence explaining how the card’s words fit Romans 16.
- Invite volunteers to share their card with the group.
The card helps children remember that Romans 16 ends with practical care, a warning to stay away from division, and praise to God.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, give two or three short verse choices and let them dictate their explanation for an adult to write.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to sort several names and phrases from the chapter into two headings: care for believers and caution about false influence.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “God, thank you for the people named in this chapter, for the warning to be wise in what is good, and for the glory that belongs to you through Jesus Christ. Help us care for others and stay steady in what we have learned. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Romans 16
1 I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the assembly that is at Cenchreae,
2 that you receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and that you assist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the assemblies of the Gentiles.
5 Greet the assembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.
6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who were also in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The assemblies of Christ greet you.
17 Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them.
18 For those who are such don’t serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
19 For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil.
20 And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives.
22 I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, my host and host of the whole assembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother.
Romans 14
24 Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages,
25 but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations;
26 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.
Source passages
The planned reference is Romans 16:25–27. World English Bible Classic prints this closing praise at Romans 14:24–26 and identifies the alternate placement in a text note.