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Serve One Another As Christ Served You

15 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not just to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for the good purpose of building him up. For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written: “The insults of those who are insulting you fell on me.”[a]

Indeed, whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we would have hope. And may God, the source of patient endurance and encouragement, grant that you agree with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that with one mind, in one voice, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For this reason, accept one another as Christ also accepted you to the glory of God. For I am saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs. He also did this so that the Gentiles would glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:

For this reason I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing to your name.[b]

10 And again it says:

Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.[c]

11 And again:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples give him praise.[d]

12 And again Isaiah says:
There will be a Root of Jesse,
and he is the one who will rise up to rule the Gentiles;
on him the Gentiles will place their hope.[e]

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with complete joy and peace as you continue to believe, so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s Goal: To Bring Christ’s Name Where It Was Not Known

14 I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are also full of goodness, filled with complete knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 But I have written a letter to you (rather boldly at times) as a reminder to you, because of the grace God has given me 16 to be a public minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I am to do the priestly work of proclaiming the gospel of God so that the Gentiles would be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 Therefore I have a reason to boast in Christ Jesus about my service to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak about anything except those things Christ accomplished through me that resulted in the Gentiles’ obedience. Christ accomplished them by word and deed, 19 along with the power of signs and wonders done by the power of God’s[f] Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. 20 And so I consider it an honor to proclaim the gospel where Christ’s name is not known, so that I may not build on another man’s foundation. 21 Instead, as it is written:

Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.[g]

Paul Hopes to Come to Rome on His Way to Spain

22 This is also the reason I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I no longer have a place to work in these regions, and I have longed for many years to come to you. 24 So when I go to Spain, I hope to visit you on my way. After I have enjoyed being with you for a while, I hope that you will help me on my journey there.

25 Right now I am going to Jerusalem bringing assistance[h] to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Indeed, they were pleased to do this and, to be sure, they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual things, then the Gentiles owe it to them to serve them with material things.

28 So, after I complete this project by delivering this fruit safely to them, I will set out for Spain and visit you on the way. 29 And I know that when I come to you, I will arrive with the full blessing of Christ.[i]

30 Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to struggle with me in prayers to God on my behalf. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who are disobedient and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you in joy and be refreshed in your company.

33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:3 Psalm 69:9
  2. Romans 15:9 Psalm 18:49
  3. Romans 15:10 Deuteronomy 32:43
  4. Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1
  5. Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10
  6. Romans 15:19 Some witnesses read the Holy.
  7. Romans 15:21 Isaiah 52:15
  8. Romans 15:25 Or ministering to the saints
  9. Romans 15:29 Some witnesses to the text read the full blessing of the gospel of Christ.

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak(A) and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good,(B) to build them up.(C) For even Christ did not please himself(D) but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a](E) For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,(F) so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind(G) toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify(H) the God and Father(I) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another,(J) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b](K) on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises(L) made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles(M) might glorify God(N) for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
    I will sing the praises of your name.”[c](O)

10 Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”[d](P)

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
    let all the peoples extol him.”[e](Q)

12 And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse(R) will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”[f](S)

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace(T) as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.(U)

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness,(V) filled with knowledge(W) and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me(X) 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.(Y) He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,(Z) so that the Gentiles might become an offering(AA) acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus(AB) in my service to God.(AC) 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles(AD) to obey God(AE) by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders,(AF) through the power of the Spirit of God.(AG) So from Jerusalem(AH) all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.(AI) 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel(AJ) where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.(AK) 21 Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
    and those who have not heard will understand.”[g](AL)

22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.(AM)

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you,(AN) 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain.(AO) I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist(AP) me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem(AQ) in the service(AR) of the Lord’s people(AS) there. 26 For Macedonia(AT) and Achaia(AU) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.(AV) 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.(AW) 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain(AX) and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you,(AY) I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

30 I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,(AZ) to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.(BA) 31 Pray that I may be kept safe(BB) from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution(BC) I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people(BD) there, 32 so that I may come to you(BE) with joy, by God’s will,(BF) and in your company be refreshed.(BG) 33 The God of peace(BH) be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:3 Psalm 69:9
  2. Romans 15:8 Greek circumcision
  3. Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49
  4. Romans 15:10 Deut. 32:43
  5. Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1
  6. Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10 (see Septuagint)
  7. Romans 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 (see Septuagint)