Romans 15

Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me. 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you [to live] in harmony with one another, according to [the command of] Christ Jesus,

6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.

Glorifying God Together

7 Therefore accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers,

9 and so that Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy. As it is written:
Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles,
and I will sing psalms to Your name.
10 Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!

11 And again:
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
all the peoples should praise Him!

12 And again, Isaiah says:
The root of Jesse will appear,
the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.

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

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

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

21 but, as it is written:
Those who were not told about Him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.

Paul's Travel Plans

22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you 24 whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through, and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints, 26 for Macedonia and Achaia 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, then they are obligated to minister to Jews in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, 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 of Christ.
30 Now I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that the gift I am bringing to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

32 and that, by God's will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

33 The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

Romans 15

1 Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, unto edifying.3 For Christ also pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope.5 Now the God of patience and of comfort grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus:6 that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.7 Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you, to the glory of God.8 For I say that Christ hath been made a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given unto the fathers,9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, Therefore will I give praise unto thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name.

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; And let all the peoples praise him.

12 And again, Isaiah saith, There shall be the root of Jesse, And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; On him shall the Gentiles hope.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit.14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.15 But I write the more boldly unto you in some measure, as putting you again in remembrance, because of the grace that was given me of God,16 that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.17 I have therefore my glorifying in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.18 For I will not dare to speak of any things save those which Christ wrought through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and round about even unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ;20 yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation;21 but, as it is written, They shall see, to whom no tidings of him came, And they who have not heard shall understand.

22 Wherefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you:23 but now, having no more any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come unto you,24 whensoever I go unto Spain (for I hope to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company)--25 but now, I say, I go unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints.26 For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem.27 Yea, it hath been their good pleasure; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things.28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by you unto Spain.29 And I know that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.30 Now I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;31 that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judaea, and that my ministration which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;32 that I may come unto you in joy through the will of God, and together with you find rest.33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.