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15 But[a] we, the strong ones, ought to be carrying[b] the weaknesses of the ones not-strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves.

Be Pleasing Your Neighbor. For Even Christ Didn’t Please Himself, As It Is Written

Let each of us be pleasing his neighbor for good, toward [his] edification. For even Christ did not please Himself, but just as it has been written [in Ps 69:9]: “The reproaches of the ones reproaching You fell upon Me”.

For Scripture Was Written To Give Us Hope As We Endure In This

For all that was written-before was written for our instruction, in order that we might have hope through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures.

May God Help You All To Think The Same Thing, To His Glory

Now may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to be thinking the same[c] thing among one another according-to[d] Christ Jesus, in order that with-one-accord you may with one mouth be glorifying the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore Accept One Another As Christ Has Accepted You, Both Jew And Gentile

Therefore, be accepting one-another, just as Christ also accepted you— for the glory of God. For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God, so that He might confirm the promises of [e] the fathers, and the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy just as it has been written: “For this reason I will praise You among the Gentiles and I will sing-praise to Your name” [Ps 18:49]. 10 And again he says, “Celebrate, Gentiles, with His people” [Deut 32:43]. 11 And again, “All Gentiles, be praising the Lord, and let all the peoples praise Him” [Ps 117:1]. 12 And again Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, even the One rising-up to rule[f] the Gentiles. The Gentiles will put-their-hope upon Him” [Isa 11:10].

Peace And Joy To You All

13 Now may the God of [g] hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may be abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Brothers, I Wrote To You As a Minister of Christ To The Gentiles, Serving The Gospel

14 Now I am convinced, my brothers— even I myself concerning you— that you yourselves also are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, being able also to admonish one another. 15 But I wrote more-boldly[h] to you, in part[i] as reminding you again, because of the grace having been given to me by God 16 so that I might be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, performing-priestly-service-for[j] the good-news of God in order that the offering of [k] the Gentiles might become acceptable[l], having been sanctified[m] by the Holy Spirit.

My Ministry of The Gospel To Gentiles Who Have Not Heard Is My Boast And My Ambition

17 I then have this boasting[n] in Christ Jesus as to the things pertaining to God— 18 for I will not dare[o] to speak anything of things which Christ did not accomplish through me in word and deed for[p] the obedience of the Gentiles, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God— so-that from Jerusalem and around as far as Illyricum[q] I have completed[r] the good-news of Christ, 20 and was thus being ambitious[s] to be announcing-the-good-news where Christ was not named in order that I might not be building upon a foundation belonging-to-another, 21 but just as it has been written [in Isa 52:15]: “Ones to whom it was not declared concerning Him will see, and they who have not heard will understand”.

Pursuing This Ministry, I Hope To Come To You On The Way To Spain

22 Therefore indeed I was hindered as to many[t] things from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these regions, and having a yearning for many years that I should come to you 24 whenever I am proceeding into Spain[u]— for I hope, while proceeding-through, to see you and to be sent-forward there by you, if I may first be filled in part with your company.

But First I Am Going To Jerusalem, Taking a Contribution To The Poor Saints There

25 But now I am proceeding to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia[v] and Achaia were well-pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were well-pleased, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted also to minister[w] to them in fleshly things. 28 Having then completed this, and having sealed[x] this fruit to them, I will go through you into Spain. 29 And I know that while coming to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

Pray For Me, Brothers

30 Now I appeal-to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of [y] the Spirit, to struggle-with[z] me in your prayers to God for me— 31 that I may be delivered from the ones disobeying in Judea, and that my service[aa] for Jerusalem may prove-to-be acceptable to the saints, 32 in order that having come in joy to you by the will of God, I may rest-up-with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all, amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:1 The strong would completely agree with 14:22-23. But Paul wants them to also see this point, which breaks the deadlock.
  2. Romans 15:1 Or, bearing, bearing with. The strong are not just to tolerate the weak, they are to help them, support them, carry their burden.
  3. Romans 15:5 Paul does not mean the same thing about foods and days, but about the treatment of one another.
  4. Romans 15:5 Or, in harmony with.
  5. Romans 15:8 That is, belonging to.
  6. Romans 15:12 Or, be-ruler of.
  7. Romans 15:13 That is, producing, granting.
  8. Romans 15:15 Or, more daringly.
  9. Romans 15:15 That is, in part reminding you, along with the reason stated in v 23-24. Or, I wrote more boldly in part; that is, in some parts of the book, such as chapter 14.
  10. Romans 15:16 Or, serving-as-priest-for. Paul is doing temple duties in God’s spiritual temple.
  11. Romans 15:16 That is, consisting of.
  12. Romans 15:16 Or, welcome.
  13. Romans 15:16 Or, made holy, set apart to God.
  14. Romans 15:17 Or, my boasting. That is, as to his God-given ministry.
  15. Romans 15:18 Stated positively, I will dare only to speak of what Christ accomplished through me.
  16. Romans 15:18 That is, for the purpose of; or, leading to; or, resulting in.
  17. Romans 15:19 In modern terms, from Israel up and around the Mediterranean to north of Greece in the area of the Balkans.
  18. Romans 15:19 That is, completed his proclamation of the good news about Christ. Paul finished his pioneering ministry, the task he was given to do.
  19. Romans 15:20 Or. making it my ambition, pursuing as my ambition.
  20. Romans 15:22 Or, many times, and thus, ‘often’.
  21. Romans 15:24 Paul breaks off this sentence, and takes up this thought again in v 28. First he explains how the Romans fit into his yearning for Spain and his plans to get there.
  22. Romans 15:26 Compare 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8-9.
  23. Romans 15:27 Or, serve. This is the priestly service of the Gentiles.
  24. Romans 15:28 That is, secured and certified in accordance with its intention.
  25. Romans 15:30 That is, proceeding from; or, produced by.
  26. Romans 15:30 Or, fight along with.
  27. Romans 15:31 Or, ministry.

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)