Romans 15:19
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
American Standard Version (ASV)
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ;
Basic English Translation (BBE)
By signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have given all the good news of Christ;
Webster's Revision
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and around to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
World English Bible
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God's Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;
English Revised Version (ERV)
in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Ghost; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ;
Definitions for Romans 15:19
Clarke's Romans 15:19 Bible Commentary
Through mighty signs and wonders - This more fully explains the preceding clause: through the power of the Holy Ghost he was enabled to work among the Gentiles mighty signs and wonders; so that they were fully convinced that both his doctrine and mission were Divine; and therefore they cheerfully received the Gospel of the Lord Jesus.
Round about unto Illyricum - Among ancient writers this place has gone by a great variety of names, Illyria, Illyrica, Illyricum, Illyris, and Illyrium. It is a country of Europe, extending from the Adriatic gulf to Pannonia: according to Pliny, it extended from the river Arsia to the river Drinius, thus including Liburnia on the west, and Dalmatia on the east. Its precise limits have not been determined by either ancient or modern geographers. It seems, according to an inscription in Gruter, to have been divided by Augustus into two provinces, the upper and lower. It now forms part of Croatia, Bosnia, Istria, and Slavonia. When the apostle says that he preached the Gospel from Jerusalem round about to Illyricum, he intends his land journeys chiefly; and, by looking at the map annexed to the Acts of the Apostles, the reader will see that from Jerusalem the apostle went round the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and that he passed through Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Pisidia, Lycaonia, Galatia, Pontus, Paphlagonia, Phrygia, Troas, Asia, Caria, Lycia, Ionia, Lydia, Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, and Achaia; besides the isles of Cyprus and Crete. And no doubt he visited many other places which are not mentioned in the New Testament.
I have fully preached the Gospel - Πεπληρωκεναι το ευαγγελιον, I have successfully preached - I have not only proclaimed the word, but made converts and founded Churches. See the note on Matthew 5:17, where this sense of the word πληρουν is noticed; for it signifies not only fully or perfectly, but also to teach with prosperity and success.
Barnes's Romans 15:19 Bible Commentary
Through mighty signs and wonders - By stupendous and striking miracles; see the note at Acts 2:43. Paul here refers, doubtless, to the miracles which he had himself performed; see Acts 19:11-12, "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul," etc.
By the power of the Spirit of God - This may either be connected with signs and wonders, and then it will mean that those miracles were performed by the power of the Holy Spirit; or it may constitute a new subject, and refer to the gift of prophecy, the power of speaking other languages. Which is its true meaning cannot, perhaps, be ascertained. The interpretations "agree" in this, that he traced his success in "all" things to the aid of the Holy Spirit.
So that from Jerusalem - Jerusalem, as a "center" of his work; the center of all religious operations and preaching under the gospel. This was not the place where "Paul" began to preach Galatians 1:17-18, but it was the place where the "gospel" was first preached, and the apostles began to reckon their success from that as a point; compare the note at Luke 24:49.
And round about - καί κύκλῳ kai kuklō. In a circle. That is, taking Jerusalem as a center, he had fully preached round that center until you come to Illyricum.
Unto Illyricum - Illyricum was a province lying to the northwest of Macedonia, bounded north by a part of Italy and Germany, east by Macedonia, south by the Adriatic, west by Istria. It comprehended the modern Croatia and Dalmatia. So that taking Jerusalem as a center, Paul preached not only in Damascus and Arabia, but in Syria, in Asia Minor, in all Greece, in the Grecian Islands, and in Thessaly and Macedonia. This comprehended no small part of the then known world; "all" of which had heard the gospel by the labors of one indefatigable man There is no where in the Acts express mention of Paul's going "into" Illyricum; nor does the expression imply that he preached the gospel "within" it, but only "unto" its borders. It may have been, however, that when in Macedonia, he crossed over into that country; and this is rendered somewhat probable from the fact that "Titus" is mentioned as having gone into "Dalmatia" 2 Timothy 4:10, which was a part of Illyricum.
I have fully preached - The word used here means properly "to fill up" πεπληρωκέναι peplērōkenai, "to complete," and here is used in the sense of "diffusing abroad," or of "filling up" all that region with the gospel; compare 2 Timothy 4:17. It means that he had faithfully diffused the knowledge of the gospel in all that immense country.