Romans 15
15
The Example of Christ
1 # [Gal. 6:1] We who are strong #1 Thess. 5:14; See ch. 14:1have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2#1 Cor. 10:33; [1 Cor. 9:19, 22; 10:24; Phil. 2:4]Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For #Phil. 2:5, 8; [John 5:30; 6:38] Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, #Cited from Ps. 69:9“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4For #ch. 4:23 whatever was written in former days was written for our #2 Tim. 3:16 instruction, that through endurance and through #Ps. 119:50the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you #See ch. 12:16to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify #2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3; [John 20:17; Eph. 1:17; Rev. 1:6]the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles
8For I tell you that Christ #Matt. 15:24; John 1:11; [Heb. 3:1]; See Acts 3:26 became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order #[ch. 4:16; 2 Cor. 1:20]to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9and in order #See ch. 3:29 that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
# Cited from 2 Sam. 22:50; Ps. 18:49 “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name.”
10And again it is said,
# Cited from Deut. 32:43 “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
11And again,
# Cited from Ps. 117:1 “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him.”
12And again Isaiah says,
# Cited from Isa. 11:10 #
Isa. 11:1; [Rev. 5:5; 22:16] “The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
#
Matt. 12:21
in him will the Gentiles hope.”
13May the God of hope fill you with all #[ch. 5:1, 2; 14:17]joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14 # [2 Pet. 1:12; 3:1; 1 John 2:21] I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,#15:14 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 30 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with #1 Cor. 1:5; 13:2; [1 Cor. 8:1, 7, 10; 12:8]all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, #See ch. 1:5because of the grace given me by God 16to be #See ch. 11:13 a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles #[Mal. 1:11] in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that #Isa. 66:20; [Phil. 2:17]the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17In Christ Jesus, then, I have #Phil. 3:3 reason to be proud of #Heb. 2:17; 5:1my work for God. 18For I will not venture to speak of anything except #Acts 15:12; 21:19; Gal. 2:8 what Christ has accomplished through me #See ch. 1:5to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19#2 Cor. 12:12; [Acts 19:11] by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that #Acts 22:17-21 from Jerusalem and all the way around #[Acts 20:1, 2]to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, #[2 Cor. 10:13, 15, 16]lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21but as it is written,
# Cited from Isa. 52:15 “Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.”
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
22This is the reason why #ch. 1:13; [1 Thess. 2:18]I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and #ver. 29, 32; ch. 1:10, 11; Acts 19:21since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24I hope to see you in passing as I go #ver. 28 to Spain, and #See Acts 15:3to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25At present, however, #Acts 19:21; 20:22; 21:15; 24:17; [ver. 31]I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26For #1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1; 9:2, 13Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27For they were pleased to do it, and indeed #1 Cor. 9:11; [Gal. 6:6]they owe it 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. 28When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,#15:28 Greek sealed to them this fruit I will leave #ver. 24for Spain by way of you. 29I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing#15:29 Some manuscripts insert of the gospel of Christ.
30I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by #[Phil. 2:1; Col. 1:8] the love of the Spirit, #Col. 4:12; [2 Cor. 1:11; Col. 2:1, 2; Heb. 13:18]to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31#2 Thess. 3:2; [2 Tim. 3:11; 4:17] that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that #2 Cor. 8:4my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and #[1 Cor. 16:18; 2 Cor. 7:13; Philem. 7, 20]be refreshed in your company. 33May #ch. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20; [1 Cor. 14:33; 2 Thess. 3:16]the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Romans 15
15
Please others and not yourself
1If our faith is strong, we should be patient with the Lord's followers whose faith is weak. We should try to please them instead of ourselves. 2We should think of their good and try to help them by doing what pleases them. 3Even Christ did not try to please himself. But as the Scriptures say, “The people who insulted you also insulted me.”#Ps 69.9. 4And the Scriptures were written to teach and encourage us by giving us hope. 5God is the one who makes us patient and cheerful. I pray that he will help you live at peace with each other, as you follow Christ. 6Then all of you together will praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The good news is for Jews and Gentiles
7Honour God by accepting each other, as Christ has accepted you. 8I tell you that Christ came as a servant of the Jews to show that God has kept the promises he made to their famous ancestors. Christ also came, 9so that the Gentiles would praise God for being kind to them. It is just as the Scriptures say,#2 S 22.50; Ps 18.49.
“I will tell the nations
about you,
and I will sing praises
to your name.”
10The Scriptures also say to the Gentiles, “Come and celebrate with God's people.”#Dt 32.43.
11Again the Scriptures say,#Ps 117.1.
“Praise the Lord,
all you Gentiles.
All you nations, come
and worship him.”
12Isaiah says,#Is 11.10 (LXX).
“Someone from David's family
will come to power.
He will rule the nations,
and they will put their hope
in him.”
13I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.
Paul's plans and personal greetings
Paul's work as a missionary
14My friends, I am sure that you are very good and that you have all the knowledge you need to teach each other. 15But I have spoken to you plainly and have tried to remind you of some things. God was so kind to me! 16He chose me to be a servant of Christ Jesus for the Gentiles and to do the work of a priest in the service of his good news. God did this so that the Holy Spirit could make the Gentiles into a holy offering, pleasing to him.
17Because of Christ Jesus, I can take pride in my service for God. 18In fact, all I will talk about is how Christ let me speak and work, so that the Gentiles would obey him. 19Indeed, I will tell how Christ performed miracles and wonders by the power of the Holy Spirit. I have preached the good news about him all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum. 20But I have always tried to preach where people have never heard about Christ. I am like a builder who doesn't build on anyone else's foundation. 21It is just as the Scriptures say,#Is 52.15 (LXX).
“All who haven't been told
about him
will see him,
and those who haven't heard
about him
will understand.”
Paul's plan to visit Rome
22My work has always kept me from coming to see you.#Ro 1.13. 23Now there is nothing left for me to do in this part of the world, and for years I have wanted to visit you. 24So I plan to stop off on my way to Spain. Then after a short, but refreshing, stay with you, I hope you will quickly send me on.
25-26I am now on my way to Jerusalem to deliver the money that the Lord's followers in Macedonia and Achaia collected for God's needy people.#1 Co 16.1-4. 27This is something they really wanted to do. But sharing their money with the Jews was also like paying back a debt, because the Jews had already shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles.#1 Co 9.11. 28After I have safely delivered this money, I will visit you and then go on to Spain. 29And when I do arrive in Rome, I know it will be with the full blessings of Christ.
30My friends, by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that comes from the Holy Spirit, I beg you to pray sincerely with me and for me. 31Pray that God will protect me from the unbelievers in Judea, and that his people in Jerusalem will be pleased with what I am doing. 32Ask God to let me come to you and have a pleasant and refreshing visit. 33I pray that God, who gives peace, will be with all of you. Amen.
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