What Does Romans 16:14 Mean?
Embrace Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brothers who are with them.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.THE KEY
“Brethren” carries the image of siblings from the same womb, gathering both the named people and those beside them into one kinship.
THE MEANING
This verse names particular people and includes the companions around them in the same greeting. Belonging takes the shape of siblinghood: each person is recognized, and those with them are included.
THE ROOT
ἀδελφούς
adelphous
GROWS FROM
ἀδελφ-
adelph-
Sibling; the word’s traditional formation evokes those from the same womb.
“brothers” in this verse is adelphous. The Greek word translated “brethren” is a sibling word whose traditional formation evokes those from the same womb. That image gathers both the named people and the people beside them into kinship.
ALSO GROWS
adelphē: sister; female sibling
ἀδελφή
The feminine form shows that the shared family image extends beyond brothers.
philadelphia: sibling love; brotherly love
φιλαδελφία
This word carries the same sibling root into the affection that binds a community.
adelphotēs: brotherhood; sibling community
ἀδελφότης
This branch names a group through the same kinship language used for the companions in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Belonging takes sibling form: named people and those alongside them share one family address.
And Abram said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray you, between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are brothers.Be tender toward one another with the affection of kin. Go before one another in honor.Honor all people. Love the brothers. Stand in awe of God. Honor the king.THE THREAD
For both the one who sets apart and those who are set apart are all from one. For this reason he does not blush to call them brothers.Hebrews uses the same Greek sibling word translated “brethren.” It opens Romans 16:14 further: those gathered with the named people belong within the same kinship address.
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