Paul begins his letter with an epistolary opening, which was customary for Greek Hellenistic letters (1:1–7), and an introductory section, in which he expresses thanksgiving to God, indicates the reason for writing the letter, and describes the background for his planned visit to Rome (1:8–15). In 1:16–17 Paul succinctly summarizes the main theme of the letter.

1:1–7 · Sender, address, and salutation: The first word, typical for ancient letters, is the name of the sender. Paul introduces himself with his Latin name, Paul(l)us (Greek Paulos), which could be his personal name or his nickname; his Hebrew name was Saul (see Acts 7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:1, 4; 13:9). Paul underlines three realities that explain who he is. (1) Paul is a “slave” (NIV “servant”) of Jesus Christ; his life totally belongs …