Romans 15

1 Now we the strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the frail, and not to please ourselves.

Most of us are sure [that God will not punish us for doing certain things that the laws and rituals God gave Moses said the Jews should not do. But we] should be patient with those who are uncertain [about such things], and we should not let them irritate us. We should not [simply] please ourselves.

2 Let each of us please his neighbor for what is good toward edification.

Each of us should [do the things that] please the fellow [believers with whom we come in contact, and things that will] benefit them. [We should do those things] in order to help them mature [spiritually].

3 For Christ also did not please himself, but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell upon me.

[We should please our fellow believers], since Christ [has set us an example]. He did not [do things to] please himself. On the contrary, [he tried to please God even when others insulted him. That was] as it is written {as ([someone/the Psalmist]) wrote} [in Scripture that the Messiah said to God]: “When people insulted you [(sg)], [it was as though] they were also insulting me.”

4 For as many things as were written previously were written for our learning, so that through perseverance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.

And [you need to remember that] what was written previously {what [God’s servants] previously wrote} [in the Scriptures], was written {[they] wrote} to teach us in order that we would be patient and be encouraged by [reading/believing] what they wrote. If we do that, we can confidently expect [God to do for us all he has promised].

5 Now may the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to think the same way among each other, in accord with Christ Jesus,

God is the one who enables us to be patient and encourages us. ([Ask/Pray to]) [him that he would] enable you [all] to live harmoniously with each other, doing as Christ Jesus [did].

6 so that unanimously, with one mouth, ye may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then, as you are united in what you think and say [MTY], you will praise God, [who is the heavenly] father [MET] of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore receive ye each other, just as Christ also received you for the glory of God.

So [I say to all of you believers at Rome], accept each other. [If you do that], people will praise God [as they see you behaving like Christ. Accept each other] just like Christ accepted you!

8 And I say, Christ Jesus became a helper of men of circumcision, for the sake of God's truth (in order to confirm the promises of the fathers),

I want [you to remember] that Christ [helped us] Jews [MTY] by what he did, in order to show that God (is faithful/does what he says he will do). That is, [his coming as our Messiah] fulfilled what God promised to [our Jewish] ancestors.

9 and the Gentiles, for the sake of mercy, to glorify God, as it is written, Because of this I will give thanks to thee among Gentiles, and will sing to thy name.

And [by acting mercifully to them, he also caused] non-Jews to praise him. [What he has done for non-Jews] fulfills what is written [in the Scriptures that David said to God]: “So I will praise you [(sg) when I am] among the non-Jews, and I will sing to you [MTY].”

10 And again he says, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.

[David] also wrote, “You non-Jews, rejoice with us who are God’s people.”

11 And again, Praise ye the Lord all nations, and let all the peoples praise him.

[And Moses wrote in] the [Scriptures], “Praise the Lord, all [you] non-Jews, and may everyone praise him [DOU].”

12 And again, Isaiah says, There will be the root of Jesse, and he who arises to reign over Gentiles. In him Gentiles will hope.

And Isaiah wrote [in the Scriptures], “There will be a descendant [MET] of [King] David who will begin to rule the non-Jews. They will confidently expect him [to fulfill what he has promised].”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, for ye to abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God is the one who causes you to confidently expect [him to do what he has promised. I pray/ask] that he will cause you to be completely joyful and peaceful as you trust [in him]. As you do that, the Holy Spirit will enable you to more and more confidently expect [to receive what God has promised you].

14 And I also myself am persuaded about you, my brothers, that ye yourselves are also full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

My fellow believers, I myself am [completely] sure that you yourselves [have acted toward others] in a completely good way. You have done that because you have known completely [all that God wants you to know] [HYP], and because you are able to teach each other.

15 But I wrote more boldly to you, brothers, in part, as reminding you because of the grace that was given to me by God,

However, I have written to you quite frankly [in this letter] about some things in order to remind you [about those things]. [I have written this letter] because I have been appointed by God {God has [appointed] me}, which I did not deserve,

16 for me to be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, serving the good news of God like a priest, so that the offering up of the Gentiles might become acceptable, being sanctified in the Holy Spirit.

in order that I would work for Jesus Christ among non-Jews. [God has appointed me] to act like a priest as I [proclaim] his good message in order that he will accept the non-Jews [who believe in Christ. They will be] like an offering [MET] [to God] as a result of their being dedicated [to him] by the Holy Spirit {the Holy Spirit dedicating them [to God]}.

17 I have therefore a boast in Christ Jesus in things toward God.

It follows that, because [of my relationship with] (OR, because [I belong to]) Christ Jesus, I am happy about [my work for] God.

18 For I will not dare to speak anything of which Christ did not accomplish through me for the obedience of Gentiles, by word and work,

I will speak boldly only [LIT] about the work that Christ has enabled me to do. [I do that work] in order that non-Jews might pay attention to [the message about Christ] as a result of what I have said and done,

19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of a Spirit of God, so that for me, from Jerusalem and all around as far as Illyricum, to fully preach the good news of Christ.

specifically, by [my performing] many powerful miracles [DOU]. [I have done those things] as a result of [God’s] Spirit powerfully [enabling me]. As a result [of doing those things, while traveling] all the way around from Jerusalem to Illyricum [province], I have completed [my work] of proclaiming the message about Christ [in those places].

20 And thus having aspired to proclaim the good news not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build upon a foundation belonging to another man,

As [I proclaim] that message, I am always eagerly trying to proclaim it [in places] where people have not already heard about Christ. I do that in order that [as I work for God] I might not [be continuing the work for him that someone else already started] [MET]. [I do not want to be like a man who] builds [a house] on someone else’s foundation.

21 but, as it is written, They will see to whom it was not reported about him, and they will understand who have not heard.

On the contrary, [I teach non-Jews, so that what happens may be like] what was written {the prophet Isaiah wrote} [in the Scriptures about the Messiah]: “Those who did not hear about him previously will know [the truth about him]. Truly, those who have not heard [about him will hear and] understand [his message] [DOU].”

22 Therefore also, I was delayed these many times coming to you.

Because [I have attempted to preach the message about Christ in places where they have not heard about him], I have been hindered {things have hindered me} many times [from being able] to visit you.

23 But now, having no more place in these regions, and having a great desire from many years to come to you,

But now there are no more places in these regions [where people have not heard about Christ]. Furthermore, for several years I have wanted to visit you.

24 whenever I go to Spain I will come to you. For I hope to see you while passing through, and there to be helped on the way by you, if first I may be partly satisfied from you.

[So I hope to go/come to see you]. I hope to do that as soon as I am on my way to [the provinces in] Spain. I hope to see you as I journey through [your area], and I hope that [by whatever you give me] [EUP] you will help me on my journey to Spain. But before [I go there], I want to enjoy being with you for a little while, although [I would like to stay with you longer].

25 But now I am going to Jerusalem serving the sanctified.

But [I cannot visit you] now, because I am about to go to Jerusalem in order to take money [EUP] for God’s people [there].

26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain participation for the poor of the sanctified at Jerusalem.

[The believers in] Macedonia and Achaia [provinces] [MTY] decided to contribute some [money] [EUP] for those of God’s people in Jerusalem who are poor.

27 For they were pleased. And they are debtors of them, for if the Gentiles were partakers in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to serve them in the carnal things.

They themselves decided [to do this, but] truly they owe something to God’s people in Jerusalem. The non-Jewish [believers] benefited spiritually from Jewish [believers as a result of hearing the message about Christ from them], so the non-Jews should also help the Jewish believers [in Jerusalem by giving them] material things (OR, money) [EUP].

28 Having therefore completed this, and having sealed this fruit for them, I will depart by you to Spain.

So when I have finished this [task] by safely delivering all this money [MET, EUP] [that the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have given], I will leave [Jerusalem and visit] you [in Rome while I am] on my way to Spain.

29 And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the good news of the Christ.

And I know that when I visit you, Christ will abundantly bless [us] (OR, enable [me] to bless [you]).

30 Now I beseech you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive with me in prayers to God for me.

Because [we belong to] our Lord Jesus Christ and because the Spirit [of God causes us to] love [each other], I urge you [all] that [you help me] by fervently/intensely praying to God for me.

31 So that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may become acceptable to the sanctified,

[Pray that] I will be protected {[that God] will protect me} so that the [Jews] in Judea who do not believe [the message about Christ will not harm me]. Also pray that God’s people in Jerusalem will accept the money [EUP] that I [take] to them.

32 so that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and be rested with you.

Pray these things in order that I may go/come to you if God wants me to go/come, and that I may go/come joyfully, and that then God will refresh my [spirit as a result of my visiting/being] with you.

33 And the God of peace is with you all. Truly.

[I pray that] God, who [causes us to have inner] peace, will be with all of you [and will help] you. (May it be so!/Amen!)