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The infirmity and frailness of the weak should be borne with all love and kindness, after the example of Christ.

15 We who are strong ought to bear the frailness of those who are weak, and not to stand in our own understanding. Let everyone please his neighbour for his wellbeing and encouragement. Christ did not please himself, but, as it is written: The rebukes of those who rebuked you, fell on me. The things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, so that we, through patience and comfort from the scripture, might have hope.

May the God of patience and consolation grant to every one of you to have such a mind towards one another, after the example of Christ Jesus, in order that you all, in harmony together, may with one mouth praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus. So then, receive one another as Christ received us, to the glory of God.

And I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers. And let the Gentiles praise God for his mercy, as it is written: For this cause I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing in your name. 10 And again he says: Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people! 11 And again: Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all nations! 12 And in another place Isaiah says: The root of Jesse is to come, he who will rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust. 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may be rich in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 I myself am confident of you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, and filled with all knowledge, and are able to exhort one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have somewhat boldly written to you, as one who puts you in mind through the grace that is given to me by God 16 to be the minister of Jesus Christ among the Gentiles, and to minister the glad tidings of God so that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 I have therefore something I can make claim to in Christ Jesus, in those things that pertain to God. 18 For I shrink to speak of anything Christ has not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, with word and deed, 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and the coasts round about to Illyricum, I have filled all countries with the glad tidings of Christ. 20 Thus have I exerted myself to preach the gospel – not where Christ was already named, lest I should have built on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: People who have not been told of him, they will see, and those who have not heard will understand.

22 For this cause I have often been prevented from going to you all. 23 But now, seeing I have no more to do in these countries, and also having wanted for many years to go to you, 24 when I take my journey into Spain, I will go to you. I trust to see you in my journey, and that you will help me on my way after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

25 Now I am going to Jerusalem, to minister to the saints. 26 For it has pleased the people of Macedonia and Achaia to send aid to the poor saints at Jerusalem. 27 It has genuinely pleased them. And they are their debtors, for if the Gentiles are made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is to minister to them in carnal things. 28 When I have completed this, and have brought them this fruit sealed, I will come back again by you on my way into Spain. 29 And I am sure that when I come, I will come with an abundance of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

30 I beseech you, brethren, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, to help me in my concerns, with your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that this my service to Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you. Amen.

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)