Προς Ρωμαιους 15

1 οφειλομεν δε ημεις οι δυνατοι τα ασθενηματα των αδυνατων βασταζειν και μη εαυτοις αρεσκειν

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 εκαστος ημων τω πλησιον αρεσκετω εις το αγαθον προς οικοδομην

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

3 και γαρ ο χριστος ουχ εαυτω ηρεσεν αλλα καθως γεγραπται οι ονειδισμοι των ονειδιζοντων σε επεπεσον επ εμε

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 οσα γαρ προεγραφη εις την ημετεραν διδασκαλιαν προεγραφη ινα δια της υπομονης και δια της παρακλησεως των γραφων την ελπιδα εχωμεν

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 ο δε θεος της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως δωη υμιν το αυτο φρονειν εν αλληλοις κατα χριστον ιησουν

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

6 ινα ομοθυμαδον εν ενι στοματι δοξαζητε τον θεον και πατερα του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου

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

7 διο προσλαμβανεσθε αλληλους καθως και ο χριστος προσελαβετο υμας εις δοξαν θεου

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

8 λεγω δε χριστον ιησουν διακονον γεγενησθαι περιτομης υπερ αληθειας θεου εις το βεβαιωσαι τας επαγγελιας των πατερων

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 fulfill the promises made to our ancestors,

9 τα δε εθνη υπερ ελεους δοξασαι τον θεον καθως γεγραπται δια τουτο εξομολογησομαι σοι εν εθνεσιν και τω ονοματι σου ψαλω

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 honor of your name.’

10 και παλιν λεγει ευφρανθητε εθνη μετα του λαου αυτου

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

11 και παλιν αινειτε τον κυριον παντα τα εθνη και επαινεσατε αυτον παντες οι λαοι

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

12 και παλιν ησαιας λεγει εσται η ριζα του ιεσσαι και ο ανισταμενος αρχειν εθνων επ αυτω εθνη ελπιουσιν

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 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

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 πεπεισμαι δε αδελφοι μου και αυτος εγω περι υμων οτι και αυτοι μεστοι εστε αγαθωσυνης πεπληρωμενοι πασης γνωσεως δυναμενοι και αλλους νουθετειν

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 τολμηροτερον δε εγραψα υμιν αδελφοι απο μερους ως επαναμιμνησκων υμας δια την χαριν την δοθεισαν μοι υπο του θεου

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

16 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

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 εχω ουν καυχησιν εν χριστω ιησου τα προς τον θεον

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

18 ου γαρ τολμησω λαλειν τι ων ου κατειργασατο χριστος δι εμου εις υπακοην εθνων λογω και εργω

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

19 εν δυναμει σημειων και τερατων εν δυναμει πνευματος θεου ωστε με απο ιερουσαλημ και κυκλω μεχρι του ιλλυρικου πεπληρωκεναι το ευαγγελιον του χριστου

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 ουτως δε φιλοτιμουμενον ευαγγελιζεσθαι ουχ οπου ωνομασθη χριστος ινα μη επ αλλοτριον θεμελιον οικοδομω

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 αλλα καθως γεγραπται οις ουκ ανηγγελη περι αυτου οψονται και οι ουκ ακηκοασιν συνησουσιν

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

22 διο και ενεκοπτομην τα πολλα του ελθειν προς υμας

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

23 νυνι δε μηκετι τοπον εχων εν τοις κλιμασιν τουτοις επιποθιαν δε εχων του ελθειν προς υμας απο πολλων ετων

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 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

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 νυνι δε πορευομαι εις ιερουσαλημ διακονων τοις αγιοις

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

26 ευδοκησαν γαρ μακεδονια και αχαια κοινωνιαν τινα ποιησασθαι εις τους πτωχους των αγιων των εν ιερουσαλημ

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

27 ευδοκησαν γαρ και οφειλεται αυτων εισιν ει γαρ τοις πνευματικοις αυτων εκοινωνησαν τα εθνη οφειλουσιν και εν τοις σαρκικοις λειτουργησαι αυτοις

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 τουτο ουν επιτελεσας και σφραγισαμενος αυτοις τον καρπον τουτον απελευσομαι δι υμων εις την σπανιαν

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 οιδα δε οτι ερχομενος προς υμας εν πληρωματι ευλογιας του ευαγγελιου του χριστου ελευσομαι

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

30 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

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 ινα ρυσθω απο των απειθουντων εν τη ιουδαια και ινα η διακονια μου η εις ιερουσαλημ ευπροσδεκτος γενηται τοις αγιοις

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 ινα εν χαρα ελθω προς υμας δια θεληματος θεου και συναναπαυσωμαι υμιν

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

33 ο δε θεος της ειρηνης μετα παντων υμων αμην

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