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15 And we ought -- we who are strong -- to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves;

for let each one of us please the neighbor for good, unto edification,

for even the Christ did not please himself, but, according as it hath been written, `The reproaches of those reproaching Thee fell upon me;'

for, as many things as were written before, for our instruction were written before, that through the endurance, and the exhortation of the Writings, we might have the hope.

And may the God of the endurance, and of the exhortation, give to you to have the same mind toward one another, according to Christ Jesus;

that with one accord -- with one mouth -- ye may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ;

wherefore receive ye one another, according as also the Christ did receive us, to the glory of God.

And I say Jesus Christ to have become a ministrant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers,

and the nations for kindness to glorify God, according as it hath been written, `Because of this I will confess to Thee among nations, and to Thy name I will sing praise,'

10 and again it saith, `Rejoice ye nations, with His people;'

11 and again, `Praise the Lord, all ye nations; and laud Him, all ye peoples;'

12 and again, Isaiah saith, `There shall be the root of Jesse, and he who is rising to rule nations -- upon him shall nations hope;'

13 and the God of the hope shall fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, for your abounding in the hope in power of the Holy Spirit.

14 And I am persuaded, my brethren -- I myself also -- concerning you, that ye yourselves also are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, able also one another to admonish;

15 and the more boldly I did write to you, brethren, in part, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me by God,

16 for my being a servant of Jesus Christ to the nations, acting as priest in the good news of God, that the offering up of the nations may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 I have, then, a boasting in Christ Jesus, in the things pertaining to God,

18 for I will not dare to speak anything of the things that Christ did not work through me, to obedience of nations, by word and deed,

19 in power of signs and wonders, in power of the Spirit of God; so that I, from Jerusalem, and in a circle as far as Illyricum, have fully preached the good news of the Christ;

20 and so counting it honour to proclaim good news, not where Christ was named -- that upon another's foundation I might not build --

21 but according as it hath been written, `To whom it was not told concerning him, they shall see; and they who have not heard, shall understand.'

22 Wherefore, also, I was hindered many times from coming unto you,

23 and now, no longer having place in these parts, and having a longing to come unto you for many years,

24 when I may go on to Spain I will come unto you, for I hope in going through, to see you, and by you to be set forward thither, if of you first, in part, I shall be filled.

25 And, now, I go on to Jerusalem, ministering to the saints;

26 for it pleased Macedonia and Achaia well to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints who [are] in Jerusalem;

27 for it pleased well, and their debtors they are, for if in their spiritual things the nations did participate, they ought also, in the fleshly things, to minister to them.

28 This, then, having finished, and having sealed to them this fruit, I will return through you, to Spain;

29 and I have known that coming unto you -- in the fulness of the blessing of the good news of Christ I shall come.

30 And I call upon you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me unto God,

31 that I may be delivered from those not believing in Judea, and that my ministration, that [is] for Jerusalem, may become acceptable to the saints;

32 that in joy I may come unto you, through the will of God, and may be refreshed with you,

33 and the God of the peace [be] with you all. 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)