Romans 1:10

in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Paul writes to the Roman believers, noting his constant remembrance of them and his request for favorable conditions to visit them. He frames this potential journey as dependent on divine permission rather than personal scheduling.

The words — The Greek πᾶντοτε (pantote) means "always," paired with δεόμενος (deomenos), "imploring," to show Paul's continuous prayerful dependence. The conditional phrase εἴ πως (ei pōs), "if somehow," marks his travel plans as contingent on God's will.

The thread — This pattern of conditional travel and prayerful dependence appears in Acts 18:21 and Philemon 1:22, where return journeys are explicitly tied to divine permission and believer intercession. Paul reiterates this reliance on communal prayer in Romans 15:30.

Why it lands — The text states that Paul's travel plans are subject to God's will and sustained by persistent prayer. It requires the reader to acknowledge that human plans operate within divine permission and communal intercession.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

πάντοτεpantotealways ἐπὶepiupon τῶνtōnthe προσευχῶνproseuchōnprayers μουmouof mine δεόμενος,deomenos[10] imploring,εἴeiif πωςpōssomehow ἤδηēdēnow ποτὲpoteat last εὐοδωθήσομαιeuodōthēsomaiI will succeed ἐνenby τῷtōthe θελήματιthelēmatiwill τοῦtou<the>θεοῦtheouof God ἐλθεῖνeltheinto come πρὸςprosto ὑμᾶς·humasyou;

King James Version

Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

Cross-references

Romans 15:30 Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
Acts 18:21 But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.
Philemon 1:22 In the meantime, prepare a guest room for me, because I hope that through your prayers I will be restored to you.
James 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”
1 Thessalonians 2:18 For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.
1 Thessalonians 3:10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.
Acts 19:21 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.”
Romans 15:22 That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Hebrews 13:19 And I especially urge you to pray that I may be restored to you soon.