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.
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Romans 15
15
1So those of us who have a strong ⌞faith⌟ must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose ⌞faith⌟ is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves. 2We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith. 3Christ did not think only of himself. Rather, as Scripture says, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
God Gives Us Unity
4Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. 5May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Jesus. 6Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God. 8Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people. 9People who are not Jewish praise God for his mercy as well. This is what the Scriptures say,
“That is why I will give thanks to you among the nations
and I will sing praises to your name.”
10And Scripture says again,
“You nations, be happy together with his people!”
11And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Praise him, all you people of the world!”
12Again, Isaiah says,
“There will be a root from Jesse.
He will rise to rule the nations,
and he will give the nations hope.”
13May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Desire to Tell the Good News to the World
14I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other. 15However, I’ve written you a letter, parts of which are rather bold, as a reminder to you. I’m doing this because God gave me the gift 16to be a servant of Christ Jesus to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So Christ Jesus gives me the right to brag about what I’m doing for God. 18I’m bold enough to tell you only what Christ has done through me to bring people who are not Jewish to obedience. By what I have said and done, 19by the power of miraculous and amazing signs, and by the power of God’s Spirit, I have finished spreading the Good News about Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum.
20My goal was to spread the Good News where the name of Christ was not known. I didn’t want to build on a foundation which others had laid. 21As Scripture says,
“Those who were never told about him will see,
and those who never heard will understand.”
22This is what has so often kept me from visiting you. 23But now I have no new opportunities for work in this region. For many years I have wanted to visit you. 24Now I am on my way to Spain, so I hope to see you when I come your way. After I have enjoyed your company for a while, I hope that you will support my trip to Spain.
25Right now I’m going to Jerusalem to bring help to the Christians there. 26Because the believers in Macedonia and Greece owe a debt to the Christians in Jerusalem, they have decided to take up a collection for the poor among the Christians in Jerusalem. 27These Macedonians and Greeks have shared the spiritual wealth of the Christians in Jerusalem. So they are obligated to use their earthly wealth to help them.
28When the collection is completed and I have officially turned the money over to the Christians in Jerusalem, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29I know that when I come to you I will bring the full blessing of Christ.
30Brothers and sisters, I encourage you through our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit creates, to join me in my struggle. Pray to God for me 31that I will be rescued from those people in Judea who refuse to believe. Pray that God’s people in Jerusalem will accept the help I bring. 32Also pray that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and be refreshed when I am with you.
33May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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