Romans 16:1

I recommend to you. This is Paul's official statement certifying that she is a member in good standing. She was probably a business woman (such as Lydia, Acts 16:14). Paul's language implies she was on her way to Rome on business, and that they could help her. We think she took this letter to the Roman church. Our sister Phoebe. We are brothers and sisters in Christ! Who serves the church. DIAKONOS - the exact same word translated "church helper" [deacon] in 1 Timothy 3:8. Conditions of ancient society required the feminine version of church helpers to take care of the needs of certain women. Some of them were likely the wives of men who served as church helpers (see 1 Timothy 3:11), and there may have been the feminine version of church leaders who taught the younger women under conditions and in situations where it would have been impossible for a man to do so (see 1 Timothy 5:9-10). Jewish women had much more freedom than Gentile women (see 1 Corinthians 11:1-16). Cenchreae. This was the seaport of Corinth, on the Asian side.