John Calvin Commentary Romans 1:11

"For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;" — Romans 1:11 (ASV)

For I greatly desire to see you. He might, indeed, while absent, have confirmed their faith by his doctrine; but as advice is better taken from one present, he desired to be with them. But he explains what his purpose was, and shows that he wished to undertake the toil of a journey, not for his own advantage, but for theirs.

He calls what he possessed spiritual gifts—whether of doctrine, exhortation, or prophecy—which he knew had come to him through God’s favor. He has here strikingly pointed out the use of gifts by the word imparting, for different gifts are distributed to each individual so that all may, in kindness, mutually assist one another and transfer to others what each one possesses. See Romans 12:3 and 1 Corinthians 12:11.

To confirm you, etc., he modifies what he had said about imparting, so that he would not seem to regard them as those who still needed to be instructed in the first elements of religion, as though they had not, until now, been rightly taught in Christ. He then says that he wished to lend his aid to them in such a way that those who had, for the most part, made progress might be further assisted. For confirmation is what we all need, until Christ is fully formed in us (Ephesians 4:13).