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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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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.
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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.