8 first, indeed, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is proclaimed in the whole world; 9 for God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the good news of His Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers beseeching, if by any means now at length I shall have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you, 11 for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, that ye may be established; 12 and that is, that I may be comforted together among you, through the faith in one another, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, that many times I did purpose to come unto you—and was hindered till the present time—that some fruit I might have also among you, even as also among the other nations. 14 Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to thoughtless, I am a debtor, 15 so, as much as in me is, I am ready also to you who 'are' in Rome to proclaim good news,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Romans 1:8-15
Commentary on Romans 1:8-15
(Read Romans 1:8-15)
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 must remember to say, If the Lord will, James 4:15. Our journeys are made prosperous or otherwise, according to the will of God. We should readily impart to others what God has trusted to us, rejoicing to make others joyful, especially taking pleasure in communing with those who believe the same things with us. If redeemed by the blood, and 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. Such services are our duty.