Romans 1:14 (YLT)

Passage

Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to thoughtless, I am a debtor,

Nearby Context

Romans 1:12 and that is, that I may be comforted together among you, through the faith in one another, both yours and mine.

Romans 1:13 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.

Romans 1:14 Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to thoughtless, I am a debtor,

Romans 1:15 so, as much as in me is, I am ready also to you who <FI>are<Fi> in Rome to proclaim good news,

Romans 1:16 for I am not ashamed of the good news of the Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to every one who is believing, both to Jew first, and to Greek.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "both", "greeks", "foreigners", "wise", "thoughtless", and "debtor". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "both" and "greeks", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "And I do not wish you to..." into verse 15's "so as much as in me is...", so "both" and "greeks" belong inside that flow. In Romans context, the local focus is righteousness by faith, union with Christ, life in the Spirit, and God's covenant faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "both" and "greeks" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.