Romans 14:24—26: Why do some Greek editions of the New Testament include the doxology of Romans 16:25—27 at the end of Romans 14?

In many manuscripts Romans 14:1–23 does not conclude at the end of Romans 14:23, and another three verses follow: Romans 14:24—26. These verses are not included here at the end of Romans 14:1–23 in any Bible translation throughout the western world, however, and are found at the end of Romans only in one printed edition of the Greek text (the Majority text edition of Hodges-Farstad¹) This same passage is, however, almost always included right at the end of Romans 16:1–27 (Romans 16:25–27) and that indeed seems to be where the text truly belongs. How then did it happen that they ended up here in some manuscripts in the first place, and how do Eastern Orthodox Christians understand this passage, which appears also between chapters Romans 14:1–23 and Romans 15:1–33 in the traditional Russian translation, for example?

Romans 14:24—26 (or Romans 16:25–27) is a doxology concluding in the praise of God. This laudatory exclamation begins in full confidence in this God, noting that he is able to strengthen you, before noting that the certainty we can have in this regard is based upon God’s plan of salvation which has now been revealed and which causes the Gentiles to return to the obedience of faith in the Creator. The beginning of this doxology also actually fits well with Romans 14:1–23 as a whole. There are brethren who are weak in faith, and who must be supported in faith by the community—something that must happen in the confidence that God is busy calling the Gentiles and that he will strengthen the weak (see Romans 14:4).

The development of this doxology not only fits with this chapter, but also fits with the letter as a whole, which emphasises God’s salvific plan for the Gentiles and for Israel throughout. Therefore, as a retrospective conclusion on the letter as a whole, this section fits equally well at the end. Nonetheless, if inserted at the end of Romans 14:1–23, it would have consequences for the perspective on the letter as a whole, for this would mean that Romans 14:1–23 is clearly the end of a larger section. What follows thereafter would only be a practical extension which provides a finishing touch, namely, the development of God’s plan for the Gentiles (about which Romans 15:1–33 speaks with reference to the actual situation in Rome and of Paul himself), which is then concluded by a finishing touch in Romans 16:1–27, a chapter filled with specific greetings to those in Rome.

One suggestion that has found wide acceptance is that the doxology ended up at the end of Romans 14:1–23, because Marcion presumably omitted Romans 15:1–33—Romans 16:1–27 altogether, but there are sufficient reasons to doubt this thesis. Furthermore, the doxology would only be misplaced at the end of Romans 14:1–23 if the very same subject was treated in Romans 15:1–33a, yet everything seems to indicate that it isn’t.²