Romans 15
15
1We who are powerful need to be patient with the weakness of those who don’t have power, and not please ourselves. 2Each of us should please our neighbors for their good in order to build them up. 3Christ didn’t please himself, but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insulted you fell on me.”#15.3 Ps 69:9 4Whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction so that we could have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude toward each other, similar to Christ Jesus’ attitude. 6That way you can glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ together with one voice.
7So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. 8I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, 9and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
“Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, ”
“and I will sing praises to your name”.#15.9 Ps 18:49
10And again, it says,
“Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people”.#15.10 Deut 32:43
11And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, ”
“and all the people should sing his praises”.#15.11 Ps 117:1
12And again, Isaiah says,
“There will be a root of Jesse, ”
“who will also rise to rule the Gentiles. ”
“The Gentiles will place their hope in him”.#15.12 Isa 11:10
13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles
14My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and are able to teach each other. 15But I’ve written to you in a sort of daring way, partly to remind you of what you already know. I’m writing to you in this way because of the grace that was given to me by God. 16It helps me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I’m working as a priest of God’s gospel so that the offering of the Gentiles can be acceptable and made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So in Christ Jesus I brag about things that have to do with God. 18I don’t dare speak about anything except what Christ has done through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles. He did it by what I’ve said and what I’ve done, 19by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. So I’ve completed the circuit of preaching Christ’s gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. 20In this way, I have a goal to preach the gospel where they haven’t heard of Christ yet, so that I won’t be building on someone else’s foundation. 21Instead, as it’s written, “Those who hadn’t been told about him will see, and those who hadn’t heard will understand”.#15.21 Isa 52:15
Travel plans to visit Rome
22That’s why I’ve been stopped so many times from coming to see you. 23But now, since I don’t have any place to work in these regions anymore, and since I’ve wanted to come to see you for many years, 24I’ll visit you when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while I’m passing through. And I hope you will send me on my way there, after I have first been reenergized by some time in your company.
25But now I’m going to Jerusalem, to serve God’s people. 26Macedonia and Achaia have been happy to make a contribution for the poor among God’s people in Jerusalem. 27They were happy to do this, and they are actually in debt to God’s people in Jerusalem. If the Gentiles got a share of the Jewish people’s spiritual resources, they ought to minister to them with material resources. 28So then after I have finished this job and have safely delivered the final amount of the Gentiles’ offering to them, I will leave for Spain, visiting you on the way. 29And I know that when I come to you I will come with the fullest blessing of Christ.
30Brothers and sisters, I urge you, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggles in your prayers to God for me. 31Pray that I will be rescued from the people in Judea who don’t believe. Also, pray that my service for Jerusalem will be acceptable to God’s people there 32so that I can come to you with joy by God’s will and be reenergized with your company. 33May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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Romans 15: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.
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