The capital city of the Roman Empire and an early center of Christianity. The letter to the Romans was addressed to the church there.
About Rome
City in Italy founded, according to tradition, in 753 BC on seven hills about 15 miles (24.1 kilometers) from the mouth of the Tiber River. It was of no biblical interest until NT times. There are nine explicit references to the city in the NT (Acts 2:10; 18:2; 19:21; 23:11; 28:14, 16; Rom 1:7, 15; 2 Tm 1:17), but Paul’s sojourn there and his letter to the Roman Christians, written probably from Corinth around AD 57 and 58, make the imperial city of considerable interest to Bible readers.
In the second millennium BC, Indo-European migrants moved into Europe and settled in the Italian peninsula. One group settled around the mouth of the Tiber River. A vigorous and more cultured group, the Etruscans from Asia Minor, occupied central Italy. At the time of Rome’s emergence in the eighth century BC, the population of the Italian peninsula was mixed. The Latin-speaking enclave, which settled toward the mouth of the Tiber, were agriculturalists. The scattered groups formed leagues and communities to defend themselves against raiders. They built stockades on the hills to protect families and flocks while fighting off the raiders. From such beginnings Rome emerged as a dominant center with its focal point in the area of the seven hills (the Palatine, the Capitoline, the Aventine, the Caelian, the Esquiline, the Viminal, and the Quirinal). Traditionally these hills were considered to be seven in number; in fact, there are more than seven, although some are simply flat-topped spurs. The Tiber River winds in a large S-curve between the hills. At one point it divided to form an island where it was shallow enough to ford. The town that grew up there was linked by roads, north to the Etruscans, south to the Greek trading cities, west to the coast, and inland to the tribal areas on the highlands. Knowledge of early Rome is based largely on archaeological evidence from the remains of the simple forts and numerous burial sites in the area.
Key References
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,
All Scripture References (34)
John (1)
If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Acts (22)
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome,
From there we went to the Roman colony of Philippi, the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.
by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.”
But Paul said to the officers, “They beat us publicly without a trial and threw us into prison, even though we are Roman citizens. And now do they want to send us away secretly? Absolutely not! Let them come themselves and escort us out!”
So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.
There he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to visit them,
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
At once those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
There we found some brothers who invited us to spend the week with them. And so we came to Rome.
The brothers there had heard about us and traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and gave thanks to God.
When we arrived in Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
After three days, he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, I was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him.
Romans (4)
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.
to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Galatians (1)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.
Ephesians (1)
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Philippians (1)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Colossians (1)
This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
2 Timothy (2)
Indeed, when he arrived in Rome, he searched diligently until he found me.
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you all.
Philemon (1)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.