Romans 15:19

In the power and signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

McGarvey suggested that people should:

Note the calm, sane way in which Paul speaks of his miraculous powers as a trust from Christ, and a seal of his apostleship, both being mere accessories to that all-important task, the preaching of the gospel.[13]

Moule also spoke of the same tranquil dignity, thus:

(This is) a reference, strangely impressive by its very passingness, to the exercise of miracle-working gifts by the writer. This man, so strong in thought, so practical in counsel, so extremely unlikely to have been under an illusion about a large factor in adult and intensely conscious experience, speaks directly from himself of his wonder-works. And the allusion, thus dropped by the way and left behind, is itself an evidence to the perfect mental balance of the witness. This was no enthusiast, intoxicated with ambitious spiritual visions, but a man put in trust with a mysterious yet sober treasure.[14]

Even unto Illyricum ... This province, under Rome, was part of Macedonia, but it cannot be certain that Paul preached there. He could have done so on the trip mentioned in Acts 20:1; but the book of Acts makes no positive mention of it. McGarvey paraphrased Paul's description of the extent of his labors thus:

Not in any limited field, but far and wide in that great curve of the earth which begins at Jerusalem in the east and ends at Illyricum in the west.[15]

I fully preached the gospel ... may be taken to mean that Paul had declared the full counsel of God, that his preaching had thoroughly covered the great area he had mentioned, and that the full charge of his energies had been utilized in its accomplishment.

[13] J. W. McGarvey, The Standard Bible Commentary (Cincinnati, Ohio: The Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 539.

[14] H. C. G. Moule, op. cit., p. 412.

[15] J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 538.