The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
Parallel translations
- WEB This greeting is by me, Paul, with my own hand.
- BSB This greeting is in my own hand—Paul.
- NKJV The salutation with my own hand—Paul’s.
- NASB The greeting is in my own hand—that of Paul.
- NLT Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Paul takes the pen to write the closing greeting in his own hand. It authenticates the letter and adds a personal touch.
Overview
Paul typically dictated his letters to a secretary (see Romans 16:22) and then signed off personally to verify authenticity, guarding against forgeries (2 Thessalonians 3:17). This personal signature lends weight and warmth to the closing words. It reminds readers that Scripture came through real, accountable human authors carried along by the Spirit.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Col 4:18The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.
- Gal 6:11Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
- 2 Th 3:17The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.
- Phlm 1:19I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.
- Rom 16:22I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 16:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.