Discovery BoxRomans 16:5 
Context16:5 Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, 1 who was the first convert 2 to Christ in the province of Asia. 3
Romans 16:23
Context16:23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you.
1 sn The spelling Epenetus is also used by NIV, NLT; the name is alternately spelled Epaenetus (NASB, NKJV, NRSV).
2 tn Grk “first fruit.” This is a figurative use referring to Epenetus as the first Christian convert in the region.
3 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
