15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak^(A) and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good,^(B) to build them up.^{(C) 3} For even Christ did not please himself^(D) but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”^{[a](E) 4} For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us,^(F) so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind^(G) toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify^(H) the God and Father^(I) of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Accept one another,^(J) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews^[b](K) on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises^(L) made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹ and, moreover, that the Gentiles^(M) might glorify God^(N) for his mercy. As it is written:

¹⁰ Again, it says,

¹¹ And again,

¹² And again, Isaiah says,

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace^(T) as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.^(U)

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

¹⁴ I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness,^(V) filled with knowledge^(W) and competent to instruct one another. ¹⁵ Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me^{(X) 16} to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.^(Y) He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,^(Z) so that the Gentiles might become an offering^(AA) acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus^(AB) in my service to God.^{(AC) 18} I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles^(AD) to obey God^(AE) by what I have said and done— ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders,^(AF) through the power of the Spirit of God.^(AG) So from Jerusalem^(AH) all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.^{(AI) 20} It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel^(AJ) where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.^{(AK) 21} Rather, as it is written:

²² This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.^(AM)

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

²³ But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you,^{(AN) 24} I plan to do so when I go to Spain.^(AO) I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist^(AP) me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. ²⁵ Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem^(AQ) in the service^(AR) of the Lord’s people^(AS) there. ²⁶ For Macedonia^(AT) and Achaia^(AU) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.^{(AV) 27} They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.^{(AW) 28} So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain^(AX) and visit you on the way. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you,^(AY) I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰ I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,^(AZ) to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.^{(BA) 31} Pray that I may be kept safe^(BB) from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution^(BC) I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people^(BD) there, ³² so that I may come to you^(BE) with joy, by God’s will,^(BF) and in your company be refreshed.^{(BG) 33} The God of peace^(BH) be with you all. Amen.

Personal Greetings

16 I commend^(BI) to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon^[h][i] of the church in Cenchreae.^{(BJ) 2} I ask you to receive her in the Lord^(BK) in a way worthy of his people^(BL) and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

¹⁷ I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.^(CF) Keep away from them.^{(CG) 18} For such people are not serving our Lord Christ,^(CH) but their own appetites.^(CI) By smooth talk and flattery they deceive^(CJ) the minds of naive people. ¹⁹ Everyone has heard^(CK) about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.^(CL)

²⁰ The God of peace^(CM) will soon crush^(CN) Satan^(CO) under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.^(CP)

²¹ Timothy,^(CQ) my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius,^(CR) Jason^(CS) and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.^(CT)

²² I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

²³ Gaius,^(CU) whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus,^(CV) who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. ^[24] [l]

²⁵ Now to him who is able^(CW) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,^(CX) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery^(CY) hidden for long ages past, ²⁶ but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings^(CZ) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from^[m] faith^(DA)— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.^(DB)

Eutychus Raised From the Dead at Troas

⁷ On the first day of the week^(A) we came together to break bread.^(B) Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upstairs room^(C) where we were meeting. ⁹ Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ Paul went down, threw himself on the young man^(D) and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”^{(E) 11} Then he went upstairs again and broke bread^(F) and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹² The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders

¹³ We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. ¹⁴ When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. ¹⁵ The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Chios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.^{(G) 16} Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus^(H) to avoid spending time in the province of Asia,^(I) for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem,^(J) if possible, by the day of Pentecost.^(K)

¹⁷ From Miletus,^(L) Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders^(M) of the church. ¹⁸ When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you,^(N) from the first day I came into the province of Asia.^{(O) 19} I served the Lord with great humility and with tears^(P) and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.^{(Q) 20} You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything^(R) that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. ²¹ I have declared to both Jews^(S) and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance^(T) and have faith in our Lord Jesus.^(U)

²² “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem,^(V) not knowing what will happen to me there. ²³ I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me^(W) that prison and hardships are facing me.^{(X) 24} However, I consider my life worth nothing to me;^(Y) my only aim is to finish the race^(Z) and complete the task^(AA) the Lord Jesus has given me^(AB)—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.^(AC)

²⁵ “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom^(AD) will ever see me again.^{(AE) 26} Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you.^{(AF) 27} For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.^{(AG) 28} Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock^(AH) of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.^(AI) Be shepherds of the church of God,^[a](AJ) which he bought^(AK) with his own blood.^{[b](AL) 29} I know that after I leave, savage wolves^(AM) will come in among you and will not spare the flock.^{(AN) 30} Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples^(AO) after them. ³¹ So be on your guard! Remember that for three years^(AP) I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.^(AQ)

³² “Now I commit you to God^(AR) and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance^(AS) among all those who are sanctified.^{(AT) 33} I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing.^{(AU) 34} You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.^{(AV) 35} In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

³⁶ When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.^{(AW) 37} They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him.^{(AX) 38} What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.^(AY) Then they accompanied him to the ship.^(AZ)