Romans 15
15
Living to Please Others
1We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. 2We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. 3For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.”#15:3 Greek who insult you have fallen on me. Ps 69:9. 4Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
5May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. 8Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews#15:8 Greek servant of circumcision. to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. 9He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote:
“For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing praises to your name.”#15:9 Ps 18:49.
10And in another place it is written,
“Rejoice with his people,
you Gentiles.”#15:10 Deut 32:43.
11And yet again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.”#15:11 Ps 117:1.
12And in another place Isaiah said,
“The heir to David’s throne#15:12a Greek The root of Jesse. David was the son of Jesse. will come,
and he will rule over the Gentiles.
They will place their hope on him.”#15:12b Isa 11:10 (Greek version).
13I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Reason for Writing
14I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters,#15:14 Greek brothers; also in 15:30. that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. 15Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.#15:19a Other manuscripts read the Spirit; still others read the Holy Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.#15:19b Illyricum was a region northeast of Italy.
20My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about him will see,
and those who have never heard of him will understand.”#15:21 Isa 52:15 (Greek version).
22In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.
Paul’s Travel Plans
23But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 24I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.
25But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers#15:25 Greek God’s holy people; also in 15:26, 31. there. 26For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia#15:26 Macedonia and Achaia were the northern and southern regions of Greece. have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. 28As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. 29And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.
30Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 31Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation#15:31 Greek the ministry; other manuscripts read the gift. I am taking to Jerusalem. 32Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.
33And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.#15:33 Some manuscripts do not include Amen. One very early manuscript places 16:25-27 here.
Currently Selected:
Romans 15: NLT
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT:
Romans 15
15
1We who are strong in faith should help the weak with their weaknesses, and not please only ourselves. 2Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith. 3Even Christ did not live to please himself. It was as the Scriptures said: “When people insult you, it hurts me.” 4Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. 5May the patience and encouragement that come from God allow you to live in harmony with each other the way Christ Jesus wants. 6Then you will all be joined together, and you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God. 8I tell you that Christ became a servant of the Jews to show that God’s promises to the Jewish ancestors are true. 9And he also did this so that those who are not Jews could give glory to God for the mercy he gives to them. It is written in the Scriptures:
“So I will praise you among the non-Jewish people.
I will sing praises to your name.”#Psalm 18:49
10The Scripture also says,
“Be happy, you who are not Jews, together with his people.”#Deuteronomy 32:43
11Again the Scripture says,
“All you who are not Jews, praise the Lord.
All you people, sing praises to him.”#Psalm 117:1
12And Isaiah says,
“A new king will come from the family of Jesse.
He will come to rule over the non-Jewish people,
and they will have hope because of him.”#Isaiah 11:10
13I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul Talks About His Work
14My brothers and sisters, I am sure that you are full of goodness. I know that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to teach each other. 15But I have written to you very openly about some things I wanted you to remember. I did this because God gave me this special gift: 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to those who are not Jews. I served God by teaching his Good News, so that the non-Jewish people could be an offering that God would accept—an offering made holy by the Holy Spirit.
17So I am proud of what I have done for God in Christ Jesus. 18I will not talk about anything except what Christ has done through me in leading those who are not Jews to obey God. They have obeyed God because of what I have said and done, 19because of the power of miracles and the great things they saw, and because of the power of the Holy Spirit. I preached the Good News from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, and so I have finished that part of my work. 20I always want to preach the Good News in places where people have never heard of Christ, because I do not want to build on the work someone else has already started. 21But it is written in the Scriptures:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard about him will understand.”#Isaiah 52:15
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
22This is the reason I was stopped many times from coming to you. 23Now I have finished my work here. Since for many years I have wanted to come to you, 24I hope to visit you on my way to Spain. After I enjoy being with you for a while, I hope you can help me on my trip. 25Now I am going to Jerusalem to help God’s people. 26The believers in Macedonia and Southern Greece were happy to give their money to help the poor among God’s people at Jerusalem. 27They were happy to do this, and really they owe it to them. These who are not Jews have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, so they should use their material possessions to help the Jews. 28After I am sure the poor in Jerusalem get the money that has been given for them, I will leave for Spain and stop and visit you. 29I know that when I come to you I will bring Christ’s full blessing.
30Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me. Do this because of our Lord Jesus and the love that the Holy Spirit gives us. 31Pray that I will be saved from the nonbelievers in Judea and that this help I bring to Jerusalem will please God’s people there. 32Then, if God wants me to, I will come to you with joy, and together you and I will have a time of rest. 33The God who gives peace be with you all. Amen.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.