Romans 1:10 · Bible study
Romans 1:10 Commentary: Prayer, Divine Will, and Unexpected Answers
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Paul prays for a prosperous journey to Rome but arrives as a prisoner. How does his prayer model submission to God's will?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Paul prays persistently for a journey to Rome, fully submitting the outcome to God’s will, a prayer that God answers in an unexpected way.
- Key words: euodōthēsomai (“I will be prospered,” future passive) conveys the hope of a smooth journey, while en tō thelēmati tou theou (“in the will of God”) sets the entire request under divine sovereignty.
- Main debate: Whether Paul’s prayer was “answered” despite the shipwreck and chains; commentators agree it was, because the journey itself was granted and God’s will was accomplished.
- Theological theme: The intersection of human planning, persistent prayer, and God’s sovereign and often surprising providence.
- Best use: A pastoral model for praying with deep desire yet complete surrender, especially when God’s answers do not match our expectations.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
KJV King James Version 1769
Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
always beseeching at my prayers, if any way now at least I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Always in my prayers making request, if by any means now at length I may have a prosperous journey, by the will of God, to come unto you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Rogando, si al fin|strong="G2235, G4218" algún tiempo haya de tener, por la voluntad de Dios, próspero viaje para ir á vosotros.
rogando sempre em minhas orações, que agora, de alguma maneira, finalmente, tenha eu a oportunidade de, pela vontade de Deus, vir vos visitar.
demandant continuellement dans mes prières d’avoir enfin, par sa volonté, le bonheur d’ aller vers vous.
und allezeit in meinem Gebet flehe, ob sich's einmal zutragen wollte, daß ich zu euch käme durch Gottes Willen.
Allen tijd in mijn gebeden biddende, of mogelijk mij nog te eniger tijd goede gelegenheid gegeven werd, door den wil van God, om tot ulieden te komen.
chiedendo che in qualche modo mi sia porta finalmente, per la volontà di Dio, l’occasione propizia di venire a voi.
Zawsze w modlitwach moich prosząc, iżby mi się wżdy kiedykolwiek droga zdarzyła za wolą Bożą przyjść do was.
всегда прося в молитвах моих, чтобы воля Божия когда-нибудь благопоспешила мне придти к вам,
在 禱告 之間常常 懇求，或者 照 神的 旨意， 終 能得平坦的道路 往 你們 那裡去。
And that I am ever making prayers that God will give me a good journey to you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Romans 1:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Romans 1:10 shows Paul’s intense, years-long desire to visit Rome, expressed in prayer and submitted entirely to God’s will. Barnes notes that Paul “had purposed it a long time” but had been hindered, and the Greek conveys an earnest longing that this long-cherished purpose might be fulfilled. Calvin emphasizes that Paul deemed his journey prosperous only “if it was approved by the Lord,” making this the model for all Christian prayer. Cambridge Bible adds that the phrase “by the will of God” (literally, ‘in the will of God’) positions Paul’s planned visit within the limits of God’s sovereign design. The consensus is that Paul prayed with persistence yet full surrender, and that God answered, but in an unanticipated way: Paul reached Rome chained as a prisoner.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse teaches that persistent prayer and deep longing are compatible with complete submission to God’s sovereign will, and that God’s answers may come in forms we never anticipated.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The nature of God’s will in Paul’s prayer | Commentators agree that Paul genuinely submits his travel plans to God’s sovereign will, not treating prayer as a way to override God’s purposes. | Some emphasize God’s decretive will (what He has eternally planned), others His permissive will (what He allows within human choices). Both seek to preserve divine sovereignty and human responsibility. |
| Answered prayer and unexpected outcomes | All agree that Paul eventually reached Rome, so the core request was granted. The prayer was not ignored. | A minority may argue the prayer specifically asked for a ‘prosperous journey’ (smooth, comfortable), and since shipwreck and chains were the opposite, it was not answered. Others, including Barnes and Calvin, argue the journey was prosperous in God’s deeper purpose because it had a greater impact. |
| The meaning of ‘if by any means’ | The phrase shows Paul’s intense desire and his recognition of prior hindrances. | Some read it as uncertainty about God’s will; others as a rhetorical expression of longing that nevertheless rests in God’s timing. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Paul wrote Romans around A.D. 57 from Corinth, near the end of his third missionary journey. He had long hoped to visit the church in Rome, a congregation he did not found and had never seen. The phrase “now at last” echoes his repeated attempts to go there, which were providentially blocked (Rom. 15:22; Acts 19:21). In the ancient world, travel was slow, dangerous, and heavily dependent on weather and political conditions; prayers for a prosperous journey were common among Jews and pagans alike. Paul’s prayer would have sounded natural to his readers.
The verb euodōthēsomai (future passive, “I will be prospered”) originally meant to have a smooth road or a successful journey. But the outcome Paul hoped for never came in the way he expected. When his journey to Rome finally happened, it was as a prisoner, arrested, shipwrecked, and guarded (Acts 27-28). This stark contrast between prayer and reality makes the verse a profound case study in God’s sovereignty. The Greek construction en tō thelēmati tou theou (“in the will of God”) situates the entire request within God’s revealed and hidden purposes. Paul does not demand; he petitions within the boundaries of the divine will, a posture rooted in Jewish piety (Acts 18:21, “if God wills”; James 4:14-15).
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants in Romans 1:10. The Greek text is stable across the manuscript tradition, and the syntactical variations seen in English translations reflect different ways of rendering the same Greek construction rather than manuscript differences.
Reception History
In church history, Romans 1:10 has been a touchstone for teaching submission to God’s will in prayer. Early and medieval commentators often used it to illustrate that true prayer includes the condition “if the Lord wills.” During the Reformation, Calvin and others highlighted the phrase “by the will of God” as a shield against attempting to force God’s hand. It has been a comfort in periods of unanswered longing, missionaries delayed, pastors hindered, believers waiting for years, reminding the Church that a prayer planted in God’s will always bears fruit, even when the fruit looks different than expected.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Persistent Prayer with Submission. Paul’s “if by any means now at last” reveals a heart that keeps asking but never commands. His prayer is a model of holy longing held open-handed before God.
- The Will of God as Both Goal and Guard. “By the will of God” is not a slogan but a framework. Paul wants the journey only if it fits within God’s hidden purposes, a prayer that protects us from demanding what we think is best.
- Unexpected Answers Are Still Answers. Paul got to Rome, but not “prosperously” by any earthly measure. God’s “yes” came in the form of a prisoner’s voyage. The prayer was granted, but on God’s terms, showing that answered prayer may look nothing like we imagined.
Five-point outline
- Longing nurtured over time (Rom. 1:10-13).
- Prayer as honest pleading, not demanding.
- Divine will as the boundary for our plans.
- Providential hindrances as part of God’s plan.
- Arrival at the goal, but by a different path.
Illustration hooks
- A person praying for a job transfer to a particular city for years, only to be laid off and then find work in a different location that turns out far better.
- A couple praying for a child, facing years of waiting, and then adopting a child whose story changes their life in ways they never expected.
- Planning a mission trip that gets cancelled, later discovering that the funds raised supported a different work that had a greater impact.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If I keep praying for something and it doesn’t happen, does that mean God didn’t hear me or that I prayed wrongly?
- How do I hold on to deep desires while still surrendering to God’s will when the answer seems to be ‘no’ or ‘wait’?
- Can a painful outcome still be an answer to prayer? How do I recognize God’s hand when the journey feels disastrous?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits inside a larger passage where Paul thanks God for the Roman believers and reveals his long-standing desire to visit them. He prays not with passive indifference but with intense, active longing, all within the phrase “by the will of God.” Use these questions to help your group see how Paul models both desire and surrender.
Discussion questions
- Read Romans 1:8-10 aloud. What does Paul’s repetition of “always” and “unceasingly” tell you about the intensity of his prayer life?
- The Greek word deomenos (translated “requesting” or “making request”) means “to beg or implore.” How does that change the emotional tone of Paul’s request?
- Paul prays for a prosperous journey. Compare this with the storm and shipwreck in Acts 27. Was Paul’s prayer answered? Explain your reasoning.
- Why does Paul add “by the will of God” to his prayer? What does this teach us about the proper way to bring our plans before God?
- When have you prayed for something for a long time and received an answer that looked different from your request? How did you process that?
- How can we balance honest, even passionate, asking with genuine surrender to God’s will? Is there a tension between the two?
- Barnes and Calvin both comment that Paul’s journey ended up having a deeper effect because he arrived as a prisoner. In what ways might God use delay or difficulty to accomplish His larger purposes?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Acts 18:21 | but taking his leave of them, he said, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem, but I will return again to you if God wills.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. |
| Acts 19:21 | Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” |
| Acts 21:14 | When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.” |
| Acts 27:1 | When it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band. |
| Acts 27:28 | They took soundings and found twenty fathoms. After a little while, they took soundings again, and found fifteen fathoms. |
| Romans 15:22 | Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, |
| Romans 15:24 | whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. |
| Romans 15:30 | Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights that Paul's prayer was for a prosperous meeting with the Roman believers, not for a trouble-free journey. The Greek word Paul uses supports this: he asked for a good outcome when they came together, and that prayer was fully answered, even though his actual journey to Rome turned disastrous.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Paul's prayer for a prosperous journey to Rome was granted, but not as Paul envisioned. He went to Rome as a prisoner in chains, showing that God often answers his people's requests in surprising ways and on his own timetable. This teaches believers to submit every plan to God's will.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin points out that Paul's request for a prosperous journey means something deeper than human success. For Paul, the journey is prosperous only if it aligns with God's will, not if it goes smoothly by earthly measures. This redefines how all Christian desires should be shaped.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that Paul's specific prayer request was for a smooth journey to Rome, but the phrase "in the will of God" carries a subtle distinction: it means the visit would be contained within the boundaries of God's will, guided by its lines. The commentator observes that Paul could not foresee how that journey would finally happen.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note observes that Paul prays constantly for a journey to Rome, yet always adds the condition “by the will of God.” Even his strongest desire must yield to God’s timing and permission, showing that all plans depend on divine direction.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that Paul’s longing to visit Rome was not a casual wish but an urgent, repeated petition at the throne of grace. Paul submits his entire travel plan to God’s will, modeling the humble dependence every believer should show when making any future plans.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the extraordinary gap of nearly twenty-five years between Paul's conversion and his arrival in Rome, a delay caused by repeated providential hindrances. This long wait taught Paul to entrust his entire future to God, making his request for a prosperous journey a continual prayer that acknowledged every obstacle as under God's control.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Paul calls God my God with personal delight, and that all thanksgiving and prayer are acceptable only through Jesus Christ. Paul thanks God for believers he never met, teaching that we should praise God for the grace we see in others, giving Him the glory for every comfort.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the King James Version's phrase "prosperous journey" captures the literal, etymological sense of the Greek word—a good way or path. He contrasts this with the Revised Version's simpler rendering "prospered," which loses that original travel imagery.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that "always" refers to every solemn prayer directed to God. He observes that the accumulation of phrases like "if by any means now at length" piles up deliberately, revealing the strength of the speaker's desperate longing.