With a brotherly kiss is literally “with a holy kiss.” Paul uses this expression elsewhere (1 Corinthians 16.20; 2 Corinthians 13.12; 1 Thessalonians 5.26), and it occurs in a similar form in 1 Peter 5.14 (literally “with a kiss of love”; Good News Translation with the kiss of Christian love). Evidently the kiss was a manner of sacred greeting among the early Christians; later it became a part of the church liturgy.

In some languages, however, one cannot employ a specific equivalent of kiss, since such would be too closely associated with sexual interest. An equivalent may be “greet one another affectionately,” thus employing a general term for the more specific expression of kiss in Greek. Some languages actually employ two quite different terms for kiss, one which identifies kissing on the mouth (which may have sexual connotations) and the other which specifies kissing on the cheek (which denotes greeting). It is the latter form of kissing which should be indicated in this type of context. Though in some languages kissing does not carry overtones of sexual interest, it may be regarded as silly and never something for adults to do. Therefore some other form of appropriate affectionate greeting should be employed.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .