As Paul concluded his epistle to the Christians in the imperial city of Rome, he listed, in Romans 16, a catalogue of people that had influenced his life and ministry in one way or the other.
As he was listing them, he mentioned specifically what some of them had done for him and the Christian faith. Among them were Priscilla and Aquila who risked their lives for him (verses 3-4); Epenetus who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia (verse 5); Mary who worked very hard for other Christians (verse 6); Andronicus and Junias who have been in prison with him and were outstanding among the apostles (verse 7); Urbanus who was a fellow-worker in Christ (verse 9); Apelles who was tested and approved in Christ (verse 10); Tryphena and Tryphosa, women who work hard in the Lord (verse 12a); Persis, another woman who has worked VERY hard in the Lord (verse 12b); and Rufus' mother who had been a mother to Paul (verse 13). Paul also made mention of some other people in passing. These included Asyncritus, Ampliatus, Phlegon, Herodion, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, Philologus, Julia, Nereus and Olympas and other unnamed saints.
