Romans 16:6-7
(6) Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
(7) Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Mary is identified simply as one who worked very hard (“toiled much”; cf. v. 12). Some Greek manuscripts read Mariam, the Hebrew form, which probably identifies this woman as a Jew.
Andronicus and Junias, greeted together, may have been husband and wife; Junias can be either masculine or feminine. Paul called them my relatives, which probably refers to a tribal, not a family kinship (cf. 9:3). He also mentioned four other “relatives” (16:11, 21). He said Andronicus and Junias had been in prison with him (lit., “my fellow prisoners”); when or where this occurred is not mentioned (cf. 2 Cor. 11:23). Paul commended them as outstanding (episemoi, lit., “having a mark [sema] on them,” therefore “illustrious, notable, outstanding”) among the apostles. The word “apostles” is probably used here in the broader, general sense in which Barnabas, Silas, and others were called apostles (Acts 14:14; 1 Thes. 2:7). Or it could mean the apostles in the limited sense, referring to the reputation this pair had among the Twelve. Paul added, They were (perf. tense, “they came to be and still are”) in Christ before I was. So they had been believers for about 25 years.
Excerpt from:
Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
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