Salute Urbane and Stachys Romans 16:9

As Paul the apostle continued to list certain individuals to greet among the believers in Rome, he told the believers to, “Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners,

who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me”, and he added, “Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.” In chapter sixteen and verse nine of Romans, Paul instructed the believers to, “salute Urbane” and “Stachys” where we read:

Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

The verse begins, “Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, ...” Paul began with the word, “salute” which means “salute, bid welcome, wish well to and receive joyfully” “Urbane” whose name means “of the city or polite” and was “a certain Christian in Rome” “our helper” which means “Paul and his co-travelers' companion and fellow worker” “in Christ” which means “in the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Paul desired for the believers to “greet” his “fellow worker” named “Urbane” who was in Rome.

The verse continues, “... and Stachys my beloved.”. Paul added the words, “and Stachys” which means “head of grain” and was “a man with a Greek name who is said to be one of the seventy disciples and bishop of Byzantium”“my beloved” or “Paul's esteemed, dear, favorite and worthy of love one”. Paul wanted the believers to “greet” “Stachys” whom he loved dearly.

When we consider these words of Paul, we see two more of the people who were important to him as he ministered. We discover how there was a team of people who promoted the “gospel of Jesus Christ” among the Gentile nations. Although Paul is most recognized in the scriptures for evangelizing the masses, there were others such as “Urbane and Stachys” who played important roles in advancing the cause of Jesus Christ. When people receive Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”, they become part of a family network of sharing God's “good news” to the world. Let all who read these words take note of “Urbane and Stachys”, who although little is really known about them, became part of the entourage of Paul.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome to “salute Apelles” and “them which are of Arisobulus' household”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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