Romans 15:18

King James Version (KJV)

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

For I will not dare to speak - If the thing were not as I have stated it, I would not dare to arrogate to myself honors which did not belong to me. But God has made me the apostle of the Gentiles; and the conversion of the Gentiles is the fruit of my ministry, Christ having wrought by me for this purpose.

By word and deed - Αογῳ και εργῳ· These words may refer to the doctrines which he taught and to the miracles which he wrought among them. So they became obedient to the doctrines, on the evidence of the miracles with which they were accompanied.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

For I will not dare to speak - I should be restrained; I should be afraid to speak, if the thing were not as I have stated. I should be afraid to set up a claim beyond what is strictly in accordance with the truth.

Which Christ hath not wrought by me - I confine myself “strictly” to what I have done. I do not arrogate to myself what Christ has done by others. I do not exaggerate my own success, or claim what others have accomplished.

To make the Gentiles obedient - To bring them to obey God in the gospel.

By word and deed - By preaching, and by all other means; by miracle, by example, etc. The “deeds,” that is, the “lives” of Christian ministers are often as efficacious in bringing people to Christ as their public ministry.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

The apostle was persuaded that the Roman Christians were filled with a kind and affectionate spirit, as well as with knowledge. He had written to remind them of their duties and their dangers, because God had appointed him the minister of Christ to the Gentiles. Paul preached to them; but what made them sacrifices to God, was, their sanctification; not his work, but the work of the Holy Ghost: unholy things can never be pleasing to the holy God. The conversion of souls pertains unto God; therefore it is the matter of Paul's glorying, not the things of the flesh. But though a great preacher, he could not make one soul obedient, further than the Spirit of God accompanied his labours. He principally sought the good of those that sat in darkness. Whatever good we do, it is Christ who does it by us.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

18. I will not dare. Paul will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through him. Paul confines the recitation of his successes only to those in which he himself has been directly concerned, all of which successes, of course, are due to Christ. Christ has used other agents besides Paul, but he will not speak of the things accomplished through them.

Holy. The Jews were expressly forbidden to offer any animal in sacrifice that was lame or blind or in any way deformed (Lev. 1:3, 10; 3:1; 22:20; Deut. 15:21; 17:1; Mal. 1:8). Every offering was carefully examined, and if any blemish was discovered, the animal was rejected. Likewise Christians are to present their bodies in the best condition possible. All their faculties and powers must be preserved pure and holy, or else their dedication of themselves to God cannot be acceptable to Him.

This is no arbitrary requirement. God’s purpose for believers is their complete restoration. This necessarily includes the purification and strengthening of their physical as well as their mental and spiritual powers. Therefore, the Christian who by faith submits himself to God’s way of saving man will gladly obey this command to regard the health of his body as a matter of the highest importance. To do otherwise is to hinder the divine work of restoration.

Obedient. The obedience would be an “obedience of faith” (ch. 16:26; see on ch. 1:5).

Acceptable. Literally, “well-pleasing” (see Phil. 4:18; Col. 3:20; Titus 2:9). The God who so loved the world that He gave His Son to save sinners is “well pleased” when men turn from their self-destroying habits and give themselves wholly to Him. For thus they make it possible for Him to fulfill His gracious purpose to reclaim them and to bring them to the perfection in which man was originally created.

By word and deed. That is, by speech and action, by preaching and life (see Luke 24:19; Acts 1:1; 7:22; 2 Cor. 10:11). These words qualify “wrought” and refer to Paul’s preaching and teaching of the gospel and to all that he had been enabled to do and to suffer in his ministry.

Reasonable. Gr. logikos, “rational,” “spiritual,” “logical.” The only other NT occurrence of this word is in 1 Peter 2:2, where “spiritual” would be a preferred translation (see comment there).

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Romans 15:18