SEV Biblia, Chapter 15:19
con potencia de milagros y prodigios, en virtud del Espíritu de Dios; de manera que desde Jerusaln, y por los alrededores hasta Ilírico, he llenado todo del Evangelio del Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Romans 15:19
Verse 19. 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, lonia, 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] peplhrwkenai to euaggelion, I have successfully preached-I have not only proclaimed the word, but made converts and founded Churches. See the note on Matt. v. 17, where this sense of the word plhroun is noticed; for it signifies not only fully or perfectly, but also to teach with prosperity and success.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. Through mighty signs and wonders , etc..] Or in, or through the power of signs and wonders, as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions render the words. These carrying along with them evidence and conviction of the truth of what was delivered, wrought wonderfully and powerfully on the minds of the Gentiles to embrace the Gospel, and submit to the ordinances of it; though all would have been insufficient, had it not been for what follows, by the power of the Spirit of God : the Alexandrian copy and one of Stephens's read, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and so does the Vulgate Latin version; meaning, either that the mighty signs and wonders in healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, etc.. were performed not by the efficacy and working of Satan, as the signs and lying wonders of antichristian men, but by the Spirit of God, by whom Christ and all his apostles wrought the miracles they did; or that the ministration of the word in which the apostle laboured, was by the power of the Spirit of God; it was he that imparted all spiritual gifts to him, qualifying him for this service; it was he that assisted him in it, and enabled him to go through it; it was in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that he performed it; and that not in words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth: or else that the obedience of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ, through the preaching of the Gospel, and the wonderful works that attended it as means, were purely owing to the power of the Spirit of God, as the efficient cause; it was not by might, or power of the preacher; nor merely by the power of signs and wonders; but by the powerful and efficacious grace of the Spirit of God, who took away the stony, stubborn, and disobedient heart, and gave them an heart of flesh, a tender, flexible, and obedient one; and caused them to walk in and observe the commandments and ordinances of the Lord: so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ ; that which Christ, as God, is the author of; as man, was a preacher and minister of; and, as Mediator, is the subject matter of: this the apostle preached fully and completely, every part and branch of it, kept back nothing of it, but faithfully declared the whole; and so fulfilled it, as the word may be rendered, and his ministry; or he filled the Gospel, the net of the Gospel, which he spread in every place; or rather he diffused the knowledge of it everywhere; he filled all places with it wherever he came, even from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum: not that he began to preach at Jerusalem, but at Damascus; from whence he went to Arabia, and after that to Jerusalem; but inasmuch as he was of Jerusalem, and had preached there, from whence the Gospel originally came, and this was the boundary of his ministry one way, he makes mention of it; as Illyricum was the boundary of it another way, which was on the extreme part of Macedonia: it is now called Sclavonia, and is an European nation; part of it is Dalmatia, mentioned ( 2 Timothy 4:10).
Apollonia was in it, according to Mela f265 , where the apostle is said to pass through, ( Acts 17:1), it has on the south the gulf of Venice, on the north the Danube, on the west Germany, and on the east Thracia and Macedonia: according to Ptolomy f266 , Illyris, or Illyricum, was bounded on the north with upper and lower Pannonia, now called Hungary and Austria; on the east with upper Mysia, now Servia; and on the south with part of Macedonia; it lies over against Italy, the Adriatic sea being between them; its length, from the river Drinus to Arsa, is reckoned about 480 miles, and its breadth, from the mountains of Croatia to the sea, is computed to be about 120: it is by some divided into Slavonia, Dalmatia, and Albania; Slavonia is the western part, Albania the eastern, and Dalmatia between them; according to others, it includes Slavonia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Dalmatia; and had its name of Illyricum, from Illyrius, the son of Cadmus; or as others, from Illyrius, the son of Celta: here the Gospel was preached by the Apostle Paul, and no doubt with success; and churches were planted here, and which remained for several ages: in the second century there was a church in Illyricum, and Eleutherius was bishop, who is said to be a famous teacher; he was born at Rome, and his mother Anthia is reported to be converted by the Apostle Paul; in the same age lived one Quirinus, first a tribune, and then a bishop of Illyricum, who became a martyr under Trajan: in the third century there were churches in Illyricum, though devastations were made in it by the Goths; in the fourth century, frequent mention is made of the churches in Illyricum; and the bishops convened at Rome under Damascus in the times of Constantius wrote with great respect to the brethren in Illyricum; in Siscia, a city in this country, Quirinus a bishop suffered martyrdom; here a synod met against the Arians, and yet many in this country were infected with that heresy, by Valens and Ursatius; in this age Hilary, of Poictiers in France, spread the Gospel in this country; and he and Eusebius of Vercelli, in Piedmont, visited the churches, and corrected what was amiss: in the fifth century there was a church in Illyricum, and in Salo, a city of Dalmatia, Glycerius was bishop: in the sixth century there were also churches here, as appears from the letter of Symmachus to the bishops of them, and to their people; and in this age also Gregory wrote to all the bishops in Illyricum, to receive such bishops as were banished: in the eighth century, the bishops of Illyricum were in the Nycene synod, and Boniface gathered a church in Slavonia f267 ; thus far Christianity may be traced in this country: hither the apostle went, not in a direct line, but round about, and took many countries, cities, and towns in his way, as the history of his journeys and travels in the Acts of the Apostles shows, and as he here suggests.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-21 - The apostle was persuaded that the Roman Christians were filled with kind and affectionate spirit, as well as with knowledge. He had writte to remind them of their duties and their dangers, because God ha 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 neve 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 sou obedient, further than the Spirit of God accompanied his labours. He principally sought the good of those that sat in darkness. Whateve good we do, it is Christ who does it by us.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP δυναμει 1411 N-DSF σημειων 4592 N-GPN και 2532 CONJ τερατων 5059 N-GPN εν 1722 PREP δυναμει 1411 N-DSF πνευματος 4151 N-GSN θεου 2316 N-GSM ωστε 5620 CONJ με 3165 P-1AS απο 575 PREP ιερουσαλημ 2419 N-PRI και 2532 CONJ κυκλω 2945 N-DSM μεχρι 3360 ADV του 3588 T-GSN ιλλυρικου 2437 N-GSN πεπληρωκεναι 4137 5760 V-RAN το 3588 T-ASN ευαγγελιον 2098 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. Signs - wonders. See on Matt. xi. 20.Round about (kuklw). Not, in a circuitous track to Illyricum, but Jerusalem and the regions round it. For the phrase, see Mark iii. 34; vi. 6, 36; Luke ix. 12; Apoc. iv. 6. For the facts, Acts 13, 19.
Illyricum. Lying between Italy, Germany, Macedonia, and Thrace, bounded by the Adriatic and the Danube. The usual Greek name was Illyris. The name Illyria occurs in both Greek and Latin. Though the shore was full of fine harbors and the coast-land fertile, Greek civilization never spread on the coast. Dyrrachium or Epidamnus was almost the only Greek colony, and its history for centuries was a continuous conflict with the barbarous nations. In the time of the Roman Empire the name spread over all the surrounding districts. In the division between the Eastern and Western Empire it was divided into Illyris Barbara, annexed to the Western Empires and Illyris Graeca, to the Eastern, including, Greece, Epirus, and Macedonia. The name gradually disappeared, and the country was divided between the states of Bosnia, Croatia, Servia, Rascia, and Dalmatia. No mention of a visit of Paul occurs in the Acts. It may have taken place in the journey mentioned Acts xx. 1-3. 69 Fully preached (peplhrwkenai). Lit., fulfilled Some explain, have given the Gospel its fall development so that it has reached every quarter.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
15:19 {In power of signs and wonders} (en dunamei semeiwn kai teratwn). Note all three words as in #Heb 2:4, only here dunamis is connected with semeia and terata. See all three words used of Paul's own work in #2Co 12:12 and in #2Th 2:9 of the Man of Sin. See #1Th 1:5; 1Co 2:4 for the "power" of the Holy Spirit in Paul's preaching. Note repetition of en dunamei here with pneumatos hagiou. {So that} (hwste). Result expressed by the perfect active infinitive peplr"kenai (from plerow) with the accusative me (general reference). {Round about even unto Illyricum} (kukl"i mecri tou Illurikou). "In a ring" (kukl"i, locative case of kuklos). Probably a journey during the time when Paul left Macedonia and waited for II Corinthians to have its effect before coming to Corinth. If so, see #2Co 13; Ac 20:1-3. When he did come, the trouble with the Judaizers was over. Illyricum seems to be the name for the region west of Macedonia (Dalmatia). Strabo says that the Egnatian Way passed through it. Arabia and Illyricum would thus be the extreme limits of Paul's mission journeys so far.
