Romans 15

1 Those of us who are spiritually strong ought to support those who are spiritually weak. We shouldn't just please ourselves.

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 We should all encourage others to do what's morally right, building them up.

Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

3 Christ didn't live to please himself, but as Scripture says of him, “The insults of those who abused you have fallen on me.”

For even Christ did not please himself. But, as it is written, "The insults of those who insult you fell on me."

4 These Scriptures were written down in the past to help us understand, and to encourage us so that we could wait patiently in hope.

For whatever things were written before were written for our instruction, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God who gives patience and encouragement help you to be in full agreement among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,

Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,

6 so that you can with one mind and with one voice together glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 So accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, and give God the glory.

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

8 I maintain that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show God tells the truth, keeping the promises he made to their forefathers.

Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

9 He also came that foreigners could praise God for his mercy, as Scripture says, “Therefore I will praise you among the foreigners; I will sing praises to your name.”

and that the non-Jews might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "therefore I will give praise to you among the non-Jews, and sing to your name."

10 And also: “Foreigners, celebrate with his people!”

Again he says, "Rejoice, you nations, with his people."

11 And again: “All you foreigners, praise the Lord, let all peoples praise him.”

Again, "Praise the Lord, all you nations. Let all the peoples praise him."

12 And again, Isaiah says, “Jesse's descendant will come to rule the nations, and foreigners will put their hope in him.”

Again, Isaiah says, "There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the peoples; in him will the nations hope."

13 May the God of hope completely fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you will overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!

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

14 I'm convinced that you, my brothers and sisters, are full of goodness, and that you are filled with every kind of knowledge, so you are well able to teach one another.

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

15 I've been blunt in the way I have written to you about some of these things, but this is just to remind you. For God gave me grace

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

16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the foreigners, like a priest sharing God's good news, so that they could become an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.

that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the non-Jews, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the non-Jews might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 So even though I have something to boast about because of my service for God,

I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

18 (I wouldn't dare talk about any of this except as Christ has done it through me), I have led foreigners to obedience through my teaching and demonstration,

For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the non-Jews, by word and deed,

19 through the power of signs and miracles done with the Holy Spirit's power. From Jerusalem all the way over to Illyricum, everywhere I've shared fully the good news of Christ.

in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ.

20 In fact I was keen to spread the good news in places that hadn't heard the name of Christ, so that I wouldn't be building on what others have done.

And in this way I desire to preach the Good News where Christ was not known, that I might not build on another's foundation.

21 As Scripture says, “Those who haven't been told the good news will discover him, and those who haven't heard will understand.”

But, as it is written, "Those who were not told about him, they will see, and those who have not heard, they will understand."

22 That's why I was prevented so many times from coming to see you.

Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

23 But now, as there's nowhere left here to work, and since I've looked forward to visiting you for many years,

but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

24 when I go to Spain I hope to see you when I pass through. Maybe you can give me some help for my journey once we've enjoyed some time together.

whenever I journey to Spain I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

25 At the moment I'm on my way to Jerusalem to help the believers there,

But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

26 because the believers in Macedonia and Achaia thought it was a good idea to send a contribution to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

27 They were happy to do this because they're in their debt. Now that foreigners are sharing their spiritual benefits, they owe it to the Jewish believers to help them in material things.

Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the non-Jewish people have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.

28 So once I've done this, and have safely delivered this contribution to them, I'll visit you on my way to Spain.

When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

29 I know that when I come, Christ will give us his full blessing.

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

30 I want to encourage you, my brothers and sisters through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join together in praying hard for me.

Now I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea. Pray that my work in Jerusalem will be welcomed by the believers there.

that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

32 Pray that I will come to you with gladness, as God wills, so we can enjoy one another's company.

that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.