Romans 15
1 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.
οφειλομεν δε ημεις οι δυνατοι τα ασθενηματα των αδυνατων βασταζειν και μη εαυτοις αρεσκειν
2 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].
εκαστος ημων τω πλησιον αρεσκετω εις το αγαθον προς οικοδομην
3 [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.”
και γαρ ο χριστος ουχ εαυτω ηρεσεν αλλα καθως γεγραπται οι ονειδισμοι των ονειδιζοντων σε επεπεσον επ εμε
4 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].
οσα γαρ προεγραφη εις την ημετεραν διδασκαλιαν προεγραφη ινα δια της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως των γραφων την ελπιδα εχωμεν
5 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].
ο δε θεος της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως δωη υμιν το αυτο φρονειν εν αλληλοις κατα χριστον ιησουν
6 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.
ινα ομοθυμαδον εν ενι στοματι δοξαζητε τον θεον και πατερα του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου
7 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!
διο προσλαμβανεσθε αλληλους καθως και ο χριστος προσελαβετο υμας εις δοξαν θεου
8 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.
λεγω δε χριστον ιησουν διακονον γεγενησθαι περιτομης υπερ αληθειας θεου εις το βεβαιωσαι τας επαγγελιας των πατερων
9 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].”
τα δε εθνη υπερ ελεους δοξασαι τον θεον καθως γεγραπται δια τουτο εξομολογησομαι σοι εν εθνεσιν κυριε και τω ονοματι σου ψαλω
10 [David] also wrote, “You non-Jews, rejoice with us who are God’s people.”
και παλιν λεγει ευφρανθητε εθνη μετα του λαου αυτου
11 [And Moses wrote in] the [Scriptures], “Praise the Lord, all [you] non-Jews, and may everyone praise him [DOU].”
και παλιν αινειτε τον κυριον παντα τα εθνη και επαινεσατε αυτον παντες οι λαοι
12 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].”
και παλιν ησαιας λεγει εσται η ριζα του ιεσσαι και ο ανισταμενος αρχειν εθνων επ αυτω εθνη ελπιουσιν
13 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].
ο δε θεος της ελπιδος πληρωσαι υμας πασης χαρας και ειρηνης εν τω πιστευειν εις το περισσευειν υμας εν τη ελπιδι εν δυναμει πνευματος αγιου
14 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.
πεπεισμαι δε αδελφοι μου και αυτος εγω περι υμων οτι και αυτοι μεστοι εστε αγαθωσυνης πεπληρωμενοι πασης γνωσεως δυναμενοι και αλληλους νουθετειν
15 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,
τολμηροτερον δε εγραψα υμιν αδελφοι απο μερους ως επαναμιμνησκων υμας δια την χαριν την δοθεισαν μοι υπο του θεου
16 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]}.
εις το ειναι με λειτουργον ιησου χριστου εις τα εθνη ιερουργουντα το ευαγγελιον του θεου ινα γενηται η προσφορα των εθνων ευπροσδεκτος ηγιασμενη εν πνευματι αγιω
17 It follows that, because [of my relationship with] (OR, because [I belong to]) Christ Jesus, I am happy about [my work for] God.
εχω ουν καυχησιν εν χριστω ιησου τα προς τον θεον
18 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,
ου γαρ τολμησω λαλειν τι ων ου κατειργασατο χριστος δι εμου εις υπακοην εθνων λογω και εργω
19 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].
εν δυναμει σημειων και τερατων εν δυναμει πνευματος θεου ωστε με απο ιερουσαλημ και κυκλω μεχρι του ιλλυρικου πεπληρωκεναι το ευαγγελιον του χριστου
20 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.
ουτως δε φιλοτιμουμενον ευαγγελιζεσθαι ουχ οπου ωνομασθη χριστος ινα μη επ αλλοτριον θεμελιον οικοδομω
21 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].”
αλλα καθως γεγραπται οις ουκ ανηγγελη περι αυτου οψονται και οι ουκ ακηκοασιν συνησουσιν
22 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.
διο και ενεκοπτομην τα πολλα του ελθειν προς υμας
23 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.
νυνι δε μηκετι τοπον εχων εν τοις κλιμασιν τουτοις επιποθιαν δε εχων του ελθειν προς υμας απο πολλων ετων
24 [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].
ως εαν πορευωμαι εις την σπανιαν ελευσομαι προς υμας ελπιζω γαρ διαπορευομενος θεασασθαι υμας και υφ υμων προπεμφθηναι εκει εαν υμων πρωτον απο μερους εμπλησθω
25 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].
νυνι δε πορευομαι εις ιερουσαλημ διακονων τοις αγιοις
26 [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.
ευδοκησαν γαρ μακεδονια και αχαια κοινωνιαν τινα ποιησασθαι εις τους πτωχους των αγιων των εν ιερουσαλημ
27 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].
ευδοκησαν γαρ και οφειλεται αυτων εισιν ει γαρ τοις πνευματικοις αυτων εκοινωνησαν τα εθνη οφειλουσιν και εν τοις σαρκικοις λειτουργησαι αυτοις
28 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.
τουτο ουν επιτελεσας και σφραγισαμενος αυτοις τον καρπον τουτον απελευσομαι δι υμων εις την σπανιαν
29 And I know that when I visit you, Christ will abundantly bless [us] (OR, enable [me] to bless [you]).
οιδα δε οτι ερχομενος προς υμας εν πληρωματι ευλογιας του ευαγγελιου του χριστου ελευσομαι
30 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.
παρακαλω δε υμας αδελφοι δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου και δια της αγαπης του πνευματος συναγωνισασθαι μοι εν ταις προσευχαις υπερ εμου προς τον θεον
31 [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.
ινα ρυσθω απο των απειθουντων εν τη ιουδαια και ινα η διακονια μου η εις ιερουσαλημ ευπροσδεκτος γενηται τοις αγιοις
32 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.
ινα εν χαρα ελθω προς υμας δια θεληματος θεου και συναναπαυσωμαι υμιν
33 [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!)
ο δε θεος της ειρηνης μετα παντων υμων αμην
