Charles Ellicott Commentary Romans 15:18

"For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed," — Romans 15:18 (ASV)

Nor, in basing my claims on this matter, do I go at all beyond my own proper sphere. I will take credit for no one else's labors but my own. They have, indeed, been quite significant enough.

I will not dare to speak.—I have a certain just and legitimate pride, but I will not, therefore, presume to boast of successes for which others have been the instrument. All successes in the mission field are due ultimately to Christ; for some He has made use of me, for others of other men. I will limit myself to those in which I have been directly involved.

To make the Gentiles obedient.—Compare Romans 1:5, for obedience to the faith among all nations (i.e., to bring all the Gentiles into obedience to the faith; see Note).

By word and deed.—This goes with the phrase “wrought by me,” and signifies “either by preaching or by miracles.”

It will be seen that the structure of this verse is not, in a rhetorical sense, quite elegant. The Apostle uses a negative form of sentence where a positive form would seem to be more appropriate. Instead of saying, “I will confine myself to what Christ has wrought by me,” he says, “I will not speak of what Christ has not wrought by me,” though the description that follows is that of his own ministry.