Romans 16:12: Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.
Tryphena and Tryphosa are euphonious names that mean “delicate” and “dainty.” I imagine these two little ladies were old maid sisters who came to know Christ. They may have been women of means, and they had supported the apostle Paul. Paul says that they labored “in the Lord”—they were real workers in the church at Rome. “The beloved Persis” is another woman who “laboured much in the Lord.” Persis is the name of a freedwoman, and her position may have enabled her to do more than the preceding two sisters. 1
Application
- Read Philippians 2:12-13. What work is God “working in you?” What work is God working “out of you?”
- Read 2 Timothy 2:15. Would you consider yourself a diligent worker in the Word of God? How much more time would you like to dedicate towards personal Bible study each day? How about taking five minutes a day to study one verse a day in Romans 12. That would mean just a twenty-one day dedication to His word. Can you do that? Let me know if you accept this challenge and I will pray for you each morning over the next twenty-one days. (Email: tommyb[AT]calvarynw.com)
Prayer
Lord, help me to hunger and thirst for Your Word like never before.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles Romans, Nashville: Thomas Nelson.