Romans 15

1 We which are strong, ought to beare the infirmities of the weake, and not to please our selues.

We, the strong, ought to take on our own shoulders the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not merely to please ourselves.

2 Therefore let euery man please his neighbour in that that is good to edification.

Let each of us please our neighbour for our neighbour’s good, to help in the building up of their character.

3 For Christ also would not please himselfe, but as it is written, The rebukes of them which rebuke thee, fell on me.

Even the Christ did not please himself! On the contrary, as scripture says of him – “The reproaches of those who were reproaching you fell upon me.”

4 For whatsoeuer things are written aforetime, are writte for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope.

Whatever was written in the scriptures in days gone by was written for our instruction, so that, through patient endurance, and through the encouragement drawn from the scriptures, we might hold fast to our hope.

5 Now the God of patience and consolation giue you that ye be like minded one towards another, according to Christ Iesus,

And may God, the giver of this patience and this encouragement, grant you to be united in sympathy in Christ,

6 That ye with one minde, and with one mouth may prayse God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ.

so that with one heart and one voice you may praise the God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

7 Wherefore receiue ye one another, as Christ also receiued vs to the glory of God.

Therefore always receive one another as friends, just as the Christ himself received us, to the glory of God.

8 Nowe I say, that Iesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision, for the trueth of God, to confirme the promises made vnto the fathers.

For I tell you that Christ, in vindication of God’s truthfulness, has become a minister of the covenant of circumcision, so that he may fulfil the promises made to our ancestors,

9 And let the Gentiles prayse God, for his mercie, as it is written, For this cause I wil confesse thee among the Gentiles, and sing vnto thy Name.

and that the Gentiles also may praise God for his mercy. As scripture says – “Therefore will I make acknowledgment to you among the Gentiles and sing in honour of your name.”

10 And againe he saith, Reioyce, ye Gentiles with his people.

And again it says – “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with God’s people.”

11 And againe, Prayse the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laude ye him, all people together.

And yet again – “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all Peoples sing his praises.”

12 And againe Esaias sayth, There shall be a roote of Iesse, and hee that shall rise to reigne ouer the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Again, Isaiah says – “There will be a Scion of the house of Jesse, One who is to arise to rule the Gentiles; on him will the Gentiles rest their hopes.”

13 Nowe the God of hope fill you with all ioye, and peace in beleeuing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the holy Ghost.

May God, who inspires our hope, grant you perfect happiness and peace in your faith, until you are filled with this hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 And I my selfe also am perswaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodnes, and filled with all knowledge, and are able to admonish one another.

I am persuaded, my friends – yes, I Paul, with regard to you – that you are yourselves full of kindness, furnished with all Christian learning, and well able to give advice to one another.

15 Neuerthelesse, brethren, I haue somewhat boldly after a sort written vnto you, as one that putteth you in remembrance, through the grace that is giuen me of God,

But in parts of this letter I have expressed myself somewhat boldly – by way of refreshing your memories –

16 That I should be the minister of Iesus Christ toward the Gentiles, ministring the Gospel of God, that the offering vp of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the holy Ghost.

because of the charge with which God has entrusted me, that I should be an assistant of Christ Jesus to go to the Gentiles – that I should act as a priest of God’s good news, so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be an acceptable sacrifice, consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

17 I haue therefore whereof I may reioyce in Christ Iesus in those things which pertaine to God.

It is, then, through my union with Christ Jesus that I have a proud confidence in my work for God.

18 For I dare not speake of any thing, which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient in worde and deede,

For I will not dare to speak of anything but what Christ has done through me to win the obedience of the Gentiles –

19 With the power of signes and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God: so that from Hierusalem, and round about vnto Illyricum, I haue caused to abound the Gospel of Christ.

by my words and actions, through the power displayed in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so, starting from Jerusalem and going as far as Illyria, I have told in full the good news of the Christ;

20 Yea, so I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should haue built on another mans foundation.

yet always with the ambition to tell the good news where Christ’s name had not previously been heard, so as to avoid building on another’s foundations.

21 But as it is written, To whome hee was not spoken of, they shall see him, and they that heard not, shall vnderstand him.

But as scripture says – “They to whom he had never been proclaimed will see; and they who have never heard will understand!”

22 Therefore also I haue bene oft let to come vnto you:

That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you.

23 But nowe seeing I haue no more place in these quarters, and also haue bene desirous many yeeres agone to come vnto you,

But now there are no further openings for me in these parts, and I have for several years been longing to come to you whenever I may be going to Spain.

24 When I shall take my iourney into Spaine, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my iourney, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, after that I haue bene somewhat filled with your company.

For my hope is to visit you on my journey, and then to be sent on my way by you, after I have first partly satisfied myself by seeing something of you.

25 But now go I to Hierusalem, to minister vnto the Saints.

Just now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem, to take help to Christ’s people there.

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia, to make a certaine distribution vnto the poore Saints which are at Hierusalem.

For Macedonia and Greece have been glad to make a collection for the poor among Christ’s people at Jerusalem.

27 For it hath pleased them, and their detters are they: for if the Gentiles be made partakers of their spirituall things, their duetie is also to minister vnto them in carnall things.

Yes, they were glad to do so; and indeed it is a duty which they owe to them. For the Gentile converts who have shared their spiritual blessings are in duty bound to minister to them in the things of this world.

28 When I haue therefore performed this, and haue sealed them this fruite, I will passe by you into Spaine.

When I have settled this matter, and have secured for the poor at Jerusalem the enjoyment of these benefits, I will go, by way of you, to Spain.

29 And I knowe when I come, that I shall come to you with abundance of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ.

And I know that, when I come to you, it will be with a full measure of blessing from Christ.

30 Also brethren, I beseeche you for our Lord Iesus Christes sake, and for the loue of the spirit, that ye would striue with me by prayers to God for me,

I beg you, then, friends, by Jesus Christ, our Lord, and by the love inspired by the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf.

31 That I may be deliuered from them which are disobedient in Iudea, and that my seruice which I haue to doe at Hierusalem, may be accepted of the Saintes,

Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who reject the faith, and that the help which I am taking to Jerusalem may prove acceptable to Christ’s people;

32 That I may come vnto you with ioy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

so that, God willing, I may be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and enjoy some rest among you.

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

May God, the giver of peace, be with you all. Amen.