Romans 15
15
1We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; 2let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. 3#Ps 69.9. For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me.” 4#Rom 4.23-24; 1 Cor 9.10; 2 Tim 3.16. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5#Rom 12.16; 1 Cor 1.10; 2 Cor 13.11; Phil 2.2; 4.2. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9#Ps 18.49; 2 Sam 22.50. and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles,
and sing to thy name”;
10 #
Deut 32.43. and again it is said,
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;
11 #
Ps 117.1. and again,
“Praise the Lord, all Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;
12 #
Is 11.10; Mt 12.21. and further Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse shall come,
he who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him shall the Gentiles hope.”
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
14I myself am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16#Acts 9.15. to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18#Rom 1.5; Acts 15.12; 21.19. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19#Acts 19.11; 2 Cor 12.12. by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ, 20#2 Cor 10.15-16. thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man's foundation, 21#Is 52.15. but as it is written,
“They shall see who have never been told of him,
and they shall understand who have never heard of him.”
22 #
Rom 1.13. This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23#Acts 19.21; Rom 1.10-11; 15.32. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24#Rom 15.28. I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be sped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little. 25#Acts 19.21; 24.17; 15.31. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem with aid for the saints. 26#2 Cor 8.1-5; 9.2; 1 Thess 1.7-8. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem; 27#1 Cor 9.11. they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28#Rom 15.24. When therefore I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been raised,#15.28 Greek sealed to them this fruit I shall go on by way of you to Spain; 29#Acts 19.21. and I know that when I come to you I shall come in the fulness of the blessing#15.29 Other ancient authorities insert of the gospel of Christ.
30I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31#2 Thess 3.2; Rom 15.25-26; 2 Cor 8.4; 9.1. that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32#Rom 1.10; Acts 19.21. so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33#2 Cor 13.11; Phil 4.9. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Currently Selected:
Romans 15: RSV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Romans 15
15
Please Others, not Yourselves
1We who are strong in the faith ought to help the weak to carry their burdens. We should not please ourselves. 2Instead, we should all please our brothers and sisters for their own good, in order to build them up in the faith. 3#Ps 69.9For Christ did not please himself. Instead, as the scripture says, “The insults which are hurled at you have fallen on me.” 4Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. 5And may God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus, 6so that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Good News for the Gentiles
7Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you. 8For I tell you that Christ's life of service was on behalf of the Jews, to show that God is faithful, to make his promises to their ancestors come true, 9#2 Sam 22.50; Ps 18.49and to enable even the Gentiles to praise God for his mercy. As the scripture says:
“And so I will praise you among the Gentiles;
I will sing praises to you.”
10 #
Deut 32.43
Again it says,
“Rejoice, Gentiles, with God's people!”
11 #
Ps 117.1
And again,
“Praise the Lord, all Gentiles;
praise him, all peoples!”
12 #
Is 11.10 (LXX) And again, Isaiah says,
“A descendant of Jesse will appear;
he will come to rule the Gentiles,
and they will put their hope in him.”
13May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul's Reason for Writing so Boldly
14My brothers and sisters, I myself feel sure that you are full of goodness, that you have all knowledge, and that you are able to teach one another. 15But in this letter I have been quite bold about certain subjects of which I have reminded you. I have been bold because of the privilege God has given me 16of being a servant of Christ Jesus to work for the Gentiles. I serve like a priest in preaching the Good News from God, in order that the Gentiles may be an offering acceptable to God, dedicated to him by the Holy Spirit. 17In union with Christ Jesus, then, I can be proud of my service for God. 18I will be bold and speak only about what Christ has done through me to lead the Gentiles to obey God. He has done this by means of words and deeds, 19by the power of miracles and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. And so, in travelling all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have proclaimed fully the Good News about Christ. 20My ambition has always been to proclaim the Good News in places where Christ has not been heard of, so as not to build on a foundation laid by someone else. 21#Is 52.15 (LXX)As the scripture says:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”
Paul's Plan to Visit Rome
22 #
Rom 1.13
And so I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23But now that I have finished my work in these regions and since I have been wanting for so many years to come to see you, 24I hope to do so now. I would like to see you on my way to Spain, and be helped by you to go there, after I have enjoyed visiting you for a while. 25#1 Cor 16.1–4Just now, however, I am going to Jerusalem in the service of God's people there. 26For the churches in Macedonia and Achaia have freely decided to give an offering to help the poor among God's people in Jerusalem. 27#1 Cor 9.11That decision was their own; but, as a matter of fact, they have an obligation to help them. Since the Jews shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles, the Gentiles ought to use their material blessings to help the Jews. 28When I have finished this task and have handed over to them all the money that has been raised for them, I shall leave for Spain and visit you on my way there. 29When I come to you, I know that I shall come with a full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit gives: join me in praying fervently to God for me. 31Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to God's people there. 32And so I will come to you full of joy, if it is God's will, and enjoy a refreshing visit to you. 33May God, our source of peace, be with all of you. Amen.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.