Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength,(A) and not to please ourselves. Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.(B) For even the Messiah did not please Himself.(C) On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.(D)[a] For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,(E) so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. Now may the God who gives[b] endurance and encouragement(F) allow you to live in harmony with one another,(G) according to the command of Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ(H) with a united mind and voice.

Glorifying God Together

Therefore accept one another,(I) just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised[c] on behalf of God’s truth,(J) to confirm the promises to the fathers,(K) and so that Gentiles(L) may glorify God for His mercy.(M) As it is written:

Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles,
and I will sing psalms to Your name.(N)[d]

10 Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!(O)[e] 11 And again:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
all the peoples should praise Him!(P)[f]

12 And again, Isaiah says:

The root of Jesse(Q) will appear,
the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.(R)[g]

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him(S) so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.(T)

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

14 My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness,(U) filled with all knowledge,(V) and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points[h] because of the grace given me by God(W) 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles,(X) serving as a priest of God’s good news.(Y) My purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable,(Z) sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus(AA) regarding what pertains to God.(AB) 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me(AC) to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders,(AD) and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the good news about the Messiah from Jerusalem(AE) all the way around to Illyricum.[i](AF) 20 My aim is to evangelize where Christ has not been named,(AG) so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,(AH) 21 but, as it is written:

Those who were not told about Him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.(AI)[j]

Paul’s Travel Plans

22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you.(AJ) 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces,[k] and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you(AK) 24 whenever I travel to Spain.[l] For I hope to see you when I pass through, and to be assisted by you for my journey there,(AL) once I have first enjoyed your company(AM) for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem(AN) to serve the saints,(AO) 26 for Macedonia(AP) and Achaia[m](AQ) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits,(AR) then they are obligated to minister to Jews in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds[n] to them,(AS) I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing[o] of Christ.

30 Now I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit,(AT) to join with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf.(AU) 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea,(AV) that the gift I am bringing to[p] Jerusalem(AW) may be acceptable to the saints,(AX) 32 and that, by God’s will,(AY) I may come to you with joy(AZ) and be refreshed together with you.

33 The God of peace be with all of you.(BA) Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:3 Ps 69:9
  2. Romans 15:5 Lit God of
  3. Romans 15:8 The Jews
  4. Romans 15:9 2Sm 22:50; Ps 18:49
  5. Romans 15:10 Dt 32:43
  6. Romans 15:11 Ps 117:1
  7. Romans 15:12 Is 11:10
  8. Romans 15:15 Other mss add brothers
  9. Romans 15:19 A Roman province northwest of Greece on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea
  10. Romans 15:21 Is 52:15
  11. Romans 15:23 Lit now, having no longer a place in these parts
  12. Romans 15:24 Other mss add I will come to you.
  13. Romans 15:26 The churches of these provinces
  14. Romans 15:28 Lit delivered this fruit
  15. Romans 15:29 Other mss add of the gospel
  16. Romans 15:31 Lit that my service for

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)