but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,
Parallel Translations
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but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,
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but now seynge I have no moare to do in these countres and also have bene desyrous many yeares to come vnto you
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But nowe seeing I haue no more place in these quarters, and also haue bene desirous many yeeres agone to come vnto you,
Cross-references (6)
Passages linked to Romans 15:23 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Romans 15:32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.
- Acts 19:21 Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
- Romans 1:10-12 requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established; that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
- Romans 15:29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
- 2 Timothy 1:4 longing to see you, remembering your tears, that I may be filled with joy;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 23 But now having no more place in these…
23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
Ver. 23. These many years] The Romans were converted to the faith betimes. Some of them were "in Christ before Paul," Rom 16:7. Christ made haste also to convert England, whose religion before was tristissimum superstitionum chaos (as Camden hath it), a most sad chaos of superstitions. Sabellicus testifieth that Brittany was the first of all the provinces that publicly professed Christ. And as we were the first that took upon us the yoke of Papal tyranny (so that England was called the Pope’s Ass), so were we the first that shook it off again.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Having given the reason why he came not to…
Having given the reason why he came not to them hitherto, in the following words he assures them he would do it hereafter. And here he saith he was the more inclined so to do, first: Because he had no more place in those parts, i.e. as before, in those places where Christ had not been named, or his gospel preached, he had no new churches there to found, and he had ordained elders in every city to build upon his foundation. The word rendered parts, signifies climates; i.e. places which he on divers elevations of the pole. And then, secondly: Because he had long longed so to do, he had desired it for many years, Rom 1:10,11.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Whensoever I take my journey into Spain,.... Which he…
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain,.... Which he had now meditated and resolved upon, being a place, as before observed, where it is very likely the Gospel as yet had not been preached, which made him desirous of going thither; but whether he ever went thither, or not, is not certain; some think he never performed the intended journey; others affirm he did, some time between his two appearances before Nero. Sepharad, in Oba 1:20, is taken by the Jewish writers for this country; and is by the Targum, Jarchi, and Aben Ezra on that place, called "Aspamia"; a name not greatly different from Hispania, by which it usually goes among the Greeks and Latins; but Kimchi calls it "Spania", the very word used in this place, and by us rendered "Spain", as it is usually called: it was called "Span" in the language of the Celtic, who first inhabited it, which signifies a companion; it was formerly called Iberia, from the river Iberus; afterwards Hesperia, from Hesperus, the brother of Atlas; and then Hispalia, from the city Hispalis, or Sevil; and from thence corruptly Hispania; there are some that derive it from from the roughness of some places in it, barren, uncultivated, and uninhabited: it has on the east the Pyrenean mountains, by which it is divided from France, on the west the Atlantic ocean, on the north the Cantabrian, and on the south the Herculean sea, and the straits of Gades: now as the apostle intended a journey into this country; he mentions it, in order to raise their expectations of seeing him; since in his way thither, he would have a fair opportunity of coming to them; yea, he assures them, that whenever he went thither, he would come:
I will come to you: it was his real intention, a settled resolution and determination in his mind so to do; but whereas everything of this kind depends not upon the will of man, but upon the will and providence of God, and so many unforeseen things fall out which prevent the fulfilling of human purposes, therefore he adds,
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for I trust, or "hope"
to see you in my journey: he could not be certain that he should see them, but he hoped he should, for nothing was more desirable to him; his wish was not to see their emperor, their senate, or their famous city, but them, the church of Christ there; and a beautiful and delightful sight it is, to see a church of Christ in Gospel order, walking together in the faith and fellowship, and ordinances of it, and in peace one with another:
and to be brought on my way thitherward by you; he not only hoped to see them, but that he should have the company of some of them along with him, in his way to Spain; from whose conversation he might expect much spiritual pleasure and refreshment; and by whom he might be directed in his way, as well as supplied with all necessaries for his journey; in which sense the phrase of bringing on in the way, is sometimes used; see Tit 3:13; though before he should depart from them, he hoped to have abundance of satisfaction in his conversation with them together as a church:
if first I be somewhat, or in part,
filled with your company; or with you, meaning that before he should set forward from them to Spain, that he should be greatly delighted with beholding their order, and the steadfastness of their faith, hearing their sweet experiences, and observing their holy life and conversation, and their peace and concord among themselves; not that he expected entire satisfaction, a satiety of pleasure, fulness of joy, which are only to be had in the presence of God, and communion with angels and glorified saints; though perhaps he might expect more than he had, for at his first answer before Nero, all these Romans forsook him and fled; saints are often disappointed in their raised expectations of what they shall enjoy in each other's company.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Having no longer place in these parts - Where…
Having no longer place in these parts - Where Christ has now been preached in every city.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 23. But-having no more place in these parts]…
Verse 23. But-having no more place in these parts] Having nothing farther at present that I can do - for τοπον εχειν signifies not merely to have a place of residence, or the like, but convenience, opportunity; which is a frequent meaning of the phrase among the best Greek writers - having no large place or city, where Christianity has not yet been planted, in which I can introduce the Gospel. The apostle was then at Corinth; and having evangelized all those parts, he had no opportunity of breaking up any new ground.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Rom 15:23-24. But now, having no more place in…
Rom 15:23-24. But now, having no more place in these parts — Where Christ has now been preached in every city; and having a great desire — On various accounts; to come to you — I will attempt to put it in execution. Whensoever — At whatever time; I take my journey into Spain — Greek, εαν πορευομαι εις την Σπανιαν, if I go into Spain; I will come to you — Namely, if God shall so permit. But this zealous design, it seems, was hindered by his imprisonment. It appears probable, from hence, considering the principle that Paul chose to govern himself by, of not building on another man’s foundation, that no apostle had yet planted any church in Spain. For I trust — I hope; to see you in my journey thither — But he was not assured hereof by any divine revelation. Indeed this, among other instances, is a proof that, in speaking of what he meant to do afterward, the apostle did not make known any determinations of God revealed to him by the Spirit, but his own resolutions and opinions only. For there is no evidence that he ever went to Spain. And be brought on my way thitherward by you — By some of your church; if first I be somewhat filled — Satisfied and refreshed; with your company — Your society and fellowship. The Greek is only, with you. How remarkable is the modesty with which he speaks! They might rather desire to be satisfied with his company. He says, somewhat satisfied, intimating the shortness of his stay, or perhaps that the presence of Christ alone can thoroughly satisfy the soul.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain But now ... - Having no further opportunity in…
But now ... - Having no further opportunity in these regions to preach to those who have never heard the gospel.
In these parts - In the regions before specified. He had gone over them, had established churches, had left them in the care of elders Act 20:17, and was now prepared to penetrate into some new region, and lay the foundation of other churches.
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And having a great desire ... - See Rom 1:9-13.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain But now having no more place--"no longer having place"--that…
But now having no more place--"no longer having place"--that is, unbroken ground, where Christ has not been preached.
and having a great desire--"a longing"
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these many years to come unto you--(as before, see on Rom 1:9-11).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. His long-hindered visit to Rome will be on…
2. His long-hindered visit to Rome will be on his way to Spain, Rom_15:22-33.
23. No… parts—Corinth and southern Greece, where the apostle now was, had become old. Nay, by the whole east rumours of Christ had been heard. The apostle must look to the far West for virgin soil.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 23. place] Evidently in the sense of opportunity.
23. place] Evidently in the sense of opportunity.
parts] regions. Same word as 2Co_11:10; Gal_1:21. He means, probably, in a large sense, Roman Europe east of the Adriatic; in which he had now “fulfilled” the Gospel.
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a great desire] The Gr. is the word that would be used of homesickness, or the like affectionate longings. See Rom_1:11.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (23) But now having no more place.—The work had…
(23) But now having no more place.—The work had been finished, so far as the Apostle was concerned, in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. The churches had been founded, and fairly set going; and now he felt it his duty to go on to new fields, his duty in this respect also falling in with his wishes, as it would bring him to Rome.
Place.—Room for (new) working. The whole. ground had been already occupied.
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Parts.—A peculiar word from which our word “climate” is derived. The original idea appears to be the slope or inclination of the earth from the equator towards the pole. Hence a “zone” or “region.” The same word occurs in 2Co_11:10; Gal_1:21.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 23. But now having no more place in these…
23. But now having no more place in these parts. Everywhere around the eastern Mediterranean the name of Christ had been preached, so that churches were formed in all the chief cities. Hence, Paul wished to seek new fields. Having a great desire … to come unto you. See Rom. 1:11, and Acts 19:21.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain 23. “But now having no longer a place in…
23. “But now having no longer a place in these regions, and having a desire to come to you for many years.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain but now, having no more any place [territory where…
but now, having no more any place [territory where Christ is not known] in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you [Because of the many benighted places in the unevangelized east, I have hitherto been held back from visiting you, but now the work here being finished, leaving me free, I find the very principle which once detained me in the east now impels me to seek those of the west, thus permitting me to visit you in passing (comp. Rom_1:11 ; 1Th_3:6 ; 2Co_7:7-11 ; Phi_1:8 ), and I purpose to so do. As Rome was a place already founded in Christ, Paul's principle limited his stay there to a mere visit, but as it was the center of all influence in his Gentile field, it was fitting that it rest under his instruction. To compass this instruction Paul wrote this Epistle],
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.