我為人人

15 我們堅強的人要扶助軟弱的人,分擔他們的重擔,不該只顧自己的喜好。 我們每個人都應該為他人著想,建造他人的生命。 因為基督並沒有專顧自己,正如聖經上說:「辱駡你之人的辱駡都落在我身上。」 從前寫在聖經上的話都是為了教導我們,使我們靠著忍耐和聖經的鼓勵而有盼望。 但願賜忍耐和鼓勵的上帝給你們合一的心去效法基督耶穌的榜樣, 使你們一起同聲頌贊上帝——我們主耶穌基督的父。

所以,你們應該像基督接納你們一樣彼此接納,使上帝得榮耀。 你們要知道,基督為了上帝的真理成為猶太人[a]的僕人,好實現上帝對猶太人祖先們的應許, 使外族人也因祂的憐憫而將榮耀歸給上帝。正如聖經上說:

「因此,我要在列邦中讚美你,
歌頌你的名。」

10 又說:

「外族人啊,
你們當與主的子民一同歡樂。」

11 又說:

「萬邦啊,你們當讚美主!
萬民啊,你們當頌讚祂!」

12 以賽亞先知也說:

「將來耶西的根要興起,
祂要統治外族,
外族人都要仰望祂。」

13 願使人有盼望的上帝,因為你們信祂,將諸般的喜樂和平安充滿你們的心,使你們藉著聖靈的能力充滿盼望!

福音特使

14 弟兄姊妹,我知道你們充滿良善,知識全備,能彼此勸導。 15 但我仍放膽寫信提醒你們幾件事,因為我蒙上帝賜恩, 16 在外族人中作基督耶穌的僕人和上帝福音的祭司,好叫外族人藉著聖靈得以聖潔,可以作上帝喜悅的祭物。 17 因此,我在基督耶穌裡以事奉上帝為榮。 18-19 別的事我不敢提,只有一件是我津津樂道的,就是基督藉著我的言語行為,用神蹟奇事和聖靈的大能叫外族人順服,使我把基督的福音從耶路撒冷一路傳到了以利哩古。 20 我立志只去從未聽過基督之名的地方傳福音,免得我建造在別人的根基上。 21 正如聖經上說:「對祂毫無所聞的,將要看見;未曾聽過的,將要明白。」

保羅計劃去羅馬

22 因此,我一直受到攔阻,不能到你們那裡。 23 但如今福音傳遍了這一帶,況且我幾年來一直盼望去你們那裡, 24 所以我想去西班牙的途中路過你們那裡,稍作停留,享受與你們的相聚之樂,然後由你們資助我上路。 25 但現在我要去耶路撒冷服侍當地的聖徒, 26 因為馬其頓和亞該亞的教會欣然捐出了財物給耶路撒冷的窮困聖徒。 27 這固然是他們慷慨解囊,但也可以說是他們該還的債。外族人既然分享了猶太聖徒屬靈的福分,現在以物質報答他們也是應該的。 28 等我辦完這件事,將捐款交付他們之後,我就會途經你們那裡去西班牙。 29 我知道我去的時候,必會把基督豐盛的祝福帶給你們。

30 弟兄姊妹,我藉著我們主耶穌基督和聖靈所賜的愛心,懇求你們與我一同竭力禱告,為我祈求上帝, 31 使我脫離猶太地區不信之人的迫害,叫耶路撒冷的聖徒樂意接受我帶去的捐款, 32 並使我按照上帝的旨意歡然去與你們相聚,一同重新得力。

33 願賜平安的上帝常與你們同在。阿們!

Footnotes

  1. 15·8 「猶太人」希臘文是「受割禮之人」。

不求自己的喜悅

15 我們堅強的人,應該擔當不堅強的人的軟弱,不應該求自己的喜悅。 我們各人務要叫鄰舍喜悅,好讓他得到益處、得到造就。 因為連基督也不求自己的喜悅;反而像經上所記的:“辱罵你的人的辱罵,都落在我的身上。” 從前經上所寫的,都是為教訓我們而寫的,好使我們藉著忍耐和聖經中的安慰得著盼望。 願賜忍耐和安慰的 神,使你們彼此同心,效法基督耶穌, 同心一致地榮耀我們主耶穌基督的父 神。

外族人蒙恩頌讚 神

因此,你們應當彼此接納,就像基督接納了你們一樣,使榮耀歸於 神。 我說,基督為了 神的真理,成了受割禮的人的僕人,為的是要證實對祖先的應許, 使外族人因著所蒙的憐憫榮耀 神;如經上所記:

“因此我要在列邦中稱讚你,

歌頌你的名。”

10 又說:

“列邦啊,當與他的子民一同快樂。”

11 又說:

“萬國啊,

你們當讚美主;

願萬民都頌讚他。”

12 以賽亞也說:

“將來必有耶西的根,

就是那興起來治理列邦的;

列邦都寄望於他。”

13 願那賜盼望的 神,因著你們的信,把一切喜樂平安充滿你們,使你們靠著聖靈的大能滿有盼望。

不在傳過基督的地方傳福音

14 我的弟兄們,我個人深信你們自己也滿有良善,充滿豐富的知識,也能夠彼此勸導。 15 但有些地方,我寫得稍為大膽一點,是要提醒你們;我因著 神賜給我的恩典, 16 為外族人作了基督耶穌的僕役,作了 神福音的祭司,使所獻上的外族人得蒙悅納,靠著聖靈成為聖潔。 17 所以,在 神的事上,我在基督耶穌裡倒有可以引以為榮的。 18-19 別的我不敢說,我只說基督藉著我所作的事,就是用言語行為,藉著神蹟和奇事的大能,以及聖靈的大能,使外族人順服;這樣,我從耶路撒冷直到以利里古,把基督的福音都傳開了。 20 我立定主意,不在宣揚過基督的地方傳福音,免得建立在別人的根基上, 21 反而照經上所記:

“那對他一無所聞的,將要看見;

那沒有聽過的,將要明白。”

保羅計劃到羅馬去

22 因此,我多次受到攔阻,不能到你們那裡去。 23 但現在這一帶再沒有可傳的地方,而我多年來又很想去見你們, 24 所以,無論我甚麼時候到西班牙去,都希望趁我路過時和你們見面,先稍微滿足我的心願,然後由你們給我送行到那裡去。 25 不過,我現在為了供應聖徒的事要往耶路撒冷去; 26 因為馬其頓和亞該亞人樂意捐了一些錢,給耶路撒冷聖徒中的窮人。 27 他們是樂意的,而且那也是他們的本分(“本分”原文作“債”),因為外族人既然分享了猶太人屬靈的好處,就應該供應他們肉身的需要。 28 等我辦好這件事,把這筆款項安全地交了給他們,我就要路過你們那裡到西班牙去。 29 我知道我到你們那裡去的時候,一定會帶著基督豐盛的福分。

30 弟兄們,我靠著我們的主耶穌基督,憑著聖靈的慈愛,勸你們和我一同竭力為我向 神祈禱, 31 求 神救我脫離猶太地不信從的人,使我帶到耶路撒冷的捐款,可以得到聖徒的悅納; 32 也使我照著 神的旨意,高高興興地到你們那裡去,好和你們一同得到安息。 33 願賜平安的 神與你們眾人同在。阿們。

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak(A) and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good,(B) to build them up.(C) 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) 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.

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

Accept one another,(J) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 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 and, moreover, that the Gentiles(M) might glorify God(N) for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
    I will sing the praises of your name.”[c](O)

10 Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”[d](P)

11 And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
    let all the peoples extol him.”[e](Q)

12 And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse(R) will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”[f](S)

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:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
    and those who have not heard will understand.”[g](AL)

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.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:3 Psalm 69:9
  2. Romans 15:8 Greek circumcision
  3. Romans 15:9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49
  4. Romans 15:10 Deut. 32:43
  5. Romans 15:11 Psalm 117:1
  6. Romans 15:12 Isaiah 11:10 (see Septuagint)
  7. Romans 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 (see Septuagint)