SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:14
A griegos y a brbaros, a sabios y a no sabios soy deudor.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 1:14
Verse 14. I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the barbarians] It has been remarked before that all the nations of the earth, themselves excepted, were termed barbarians by the Greeks. See the origin of the word barbarous in the note on Acts xxviii. 2. The apostle considers himself, by his apostolical office and call, under obligation to preach the Gospel to all people, as far as the providence of God might open his way; for this is implied in the Divine commission:- Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature-to the wise and the unwise; to the learned and cultivated as well as to the unlearned and uncultivated. This evidently appears to be the import of the terms.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. I am a debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians , etc..] The meaning is, that he was obliged by the call he had from God, the injunction that was laid upon him by him, and the gifts with which he was qualified, to preach the Gospel to all sorts of men; who are here distinguished into Greeks and Barbarians: sometimes by Greeks are meant the Gentiles in general, in opposition to the Jews; (see Romans 1:16); but here they design only a part of the Gentiles, the inhabitants of Greece, in opposition to all the world besides; for the Greeks used to call all others that were not of themselves Barbarians f5 : or else by Greeks are meant the more cultivated nations of the world, and by Barbarians the ruder and more uncivil parts of it; to which agrees the next division of mankind, both to the wise and to the unwise . The Gospel was to be preached to the wise; such who thought themselves to be so, and were so with respect to human wisdom and knowledge; though it should be despised by them, as it was, and though few of them were called by it, some were, and still are, though not many; and such wisdom there is in the Gospel, as the wisest of men may learn by it, will be entertaining to them, is far beyond their contempt, and what will serve to exercise their talents and abilities, to search into the knowledge of, and rightly to understand; and it must be preached to the unwise; for such God has chosen to confound the wise; these he calls by his grace, and reveals his Gospel to, whilst he hides it from the wise and prudent; and there is that in the Gospel which is plain and easy to the weakest mind, enlightened by the Spirit of God.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-15 - We must show love for our friends, not only by praying for them, but by praising God for them. As in our purposes, so in our desires, we mus remember to say, If the Lord will, Jas 4:15. Our journeys are mad prosperous or otherwise, according to the will of God. We shoul readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those wh believe the same things with us. If redeemed by the blood, an converted by the grace of the Lord Jesus, we are altogether his; and for his sake we are debtors to all men, to do all the good we can. Suc services are our duty.
Greek Textus Receptus
ελλησιν 1672 N-DPM τε 5037 PRT και 2532 CONJ βαρβαροις 915 A-DPM σοφοις 4680 A-DPM τε 5037 PRT και 2532 CONJ ανοητοις 453 A-DPM οφειλετης 3781 N-NSM ειμι 1510 5748 V-PXI-1S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Debtor (ofeilethv). All men, without distinction of nation or culture, are Paul's creditors, "He owes them his life, his person, in virtue of the grace bestowed upon him, and of the office which he has received."(Godet).Greeks - Barbarians. Gentiles without distinction. Paul takes the conventional Greek division of all mankind into Greeks and non-Greeks. See on Acts vi. 1. The question whether he includes the Romans among the Greeks or the Barbarians, is irrelevant.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:14 On {debtor} (ofeiletes) see #Ga 5:3. {Both to Greeks and to Barbarians} (hellesin te kai barbarois). The whole human race from the Greek point of view, Jews coming under barbarois. On this word see #Ac 18:2,4; 1Co 4:11; Col 3:11 (only N.T. instances). The Greeks called all others barbarians and the Jews termed all others Gentiles. Did Paul consider the Romans as Greeks? They had absorbed the Greek language and culture.
