Romans 15
Names of God Bible
15 So those of us who have a strong faith must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose faith is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves. 2 We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith. 3 Christ did not think only of himself. Rather, as Scripture says, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
God Gives Us Unity
4 Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. 5 May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Yeshua. 6 Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Christ.
7 Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God. 8 Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people. 9 People who are not Jewish praise God for his mercy as well. This is what the Scriptures say,
“That is why I will give thanks to you among the nations
and I will sing praises to your name.”
10 And Scripture says again,
“You nations, be happy together with his people!”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Praise him, all you people of the world!”
12 Again, Isaiah says,
“There will be a root from Jesse.
He will rise to rule the nations,
and he will give the nations hope.”
13 May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Desire to Tell the Good News to the World
14 I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other. 15 However, I’ve written you a letter, parts of which are rather bold, as a reminder to you. I’m doing this because God gave me the gift 16 to be a servant of Christ Yeshua to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17 So Christ Yeshua gives me the right to brag about what I’m doing for God. 18 I’m bold enough to tell you only what Christ has done through me to bring people who are not Jewish to obedience. By what I have said and done, 19 by the power of miraculous and amazing signs, and by the power of God’s Spirit, I have finished spreading the Good News about Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum.
20 My goal was to spread the Good News where the name of Christ was not known. I didn’t want to build on a foundation which others had laid. 21 As Scripture says,
“Those who were never told about him will see,
and those who never heard will understand.”
22 This is what has so often kept me from visiting you. 23 But now I have no new opportunities for work in this region. For many years I have wanted to visit you. 24 Now I am on my way to Spain, so I hope to see you when I come your way. After I have enjoyed your company for a while, I hope that you will support my trip to Spain.
25 Right now I’m going to Jerusalem to bring help to the Christians there. 26 Because the believers in Macedonia and Greece owe a debt to the Christians in Jerusalem, they have decided to take up a collection for the poor among the Christians in Jerusalem. 27 These Macedonians and Greeks have shared the spiritual wealth of the Christians in Jerusalem. So they are obligated to use their earthly wealth to help them.
28 When the collection is completed and I have officially turned the money over to the Christians in Jerusalem, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you I will bring the full blessing of Christ.
30 Brothers and sisters, I encourage you through our Lord Yeshua Christ and by the love that the Spirit creates, to join me in my struggle. Pray to God for me 31 that I will be rescued from those people in Judea who refuse to believe. Pray that God’s people in Jerusalem will accept the help I bring. 32 Also pray that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and be refreshed when I am with you.
33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Romans 15
Expanded Bible
15 We who are ·strong in faith [L strong] should ·help [bear with; be patient with] the weak with their ·weaknesses [failings; struggles], and not please only ourselves. 2 Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to ·help them be stronger in faith [edify them; build them up]. 3 [L For] Even Christ did not live to please himself. It was as the Scriptures said: “·When people insult you, it hurts me [L The insults of those who insulted you have fallen on me; Ps. 69:9].” 4 [L For] Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us ·patience [endurance] and encouragement so that we can have hope. 5 May ·the patience and encouragement that come from God [L the God of patience and encouragement] ·allow you to live in harmony with each other the way Christ Jesus wants [or grant you the same attitude with each other that Christ Jesus had]. 6 ·Then [L …so that] ·you will all be joined together and [L together with one voice/mouth] you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept each another, just as Christ accepted you. ·This will bring glory to God [or In this way Christ brought glory to God; L …to the glory of God]. 8 [L For] I tell you that Christ became a servant of the ·Jews [L circumcised] to ·show [confirm] that God’s promises to the ·Jewish ancestors [patriarchs; fathers] are true. 9 And he also did this so that the Gentiles could give glory to God for the mercy he gives to them. [L Just as] It is written in the Scriptures:
“So I will ·praise [confess] you among the ·Gentiles [nations].
I will sing ·praises [psalms] to your name [Ps. 18:49].”
10 ·The Scripture also [L And again it] says,
“·Be happy [Rejoice; Celebrate], you ·Gentiles [nations], together with his people [Deut. 32:43].”
11 ·Again the Scripture says [L And again],
“All you ·Gentiles [nations], praise the Lord.
All you people, sing praises to him [Ps. 117:1].”
12 And [L again] Isaiah says,
“·A new king will come from the family of Jesse [The root of Jesse will come/sprout; C Jesse was the father of King David].
He will ·come [rise up] to rule over the ·Gentiles [nations],
and they will ·have hope because of [put their hope in] him [Is. 11:10].”
13 I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with ·much [L all] joy and peace ·while you trust [because you trust; through your faith] in him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul Talks About His Work
14 My brothers and sisters, I am ·sure [fully convinced] that you are [indeed] full of goodness. I know that you ·have all the knowledge you need [L are filled with all knowledge] and that you are able to ·teach [instruct; admonish; warn] each other. 15 But I have written to you very ·openly [boldly] about some ·things [points; L parts] I wanted you to remember. I did this because ·God gave me this special gift [or of the grace God gave me]: 16 to be a ·minister [servant] of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I ·served God [or perform priestly service] ·by teaching his Good News [for the Good News/Gospel of/about God], so that the Gentiles could be an offering that God would accept—an offering ·made holy [sanctified; purified] by the Holy Spirit.
17 So I ·am proud [have a reason to boast] of what I have done for God in Christ Jesus. 18 I will not [dare] talk about anything except what Christ has done through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God. They have obeyed God because of what I have said and done, 19 because of the power of ·miracles [signs] and ·the great things they saw [wonders; marvels], ·and because of [or acccomplished through] the power of the Spirit of God. I have ·finished my work of preaching [fulfilled my commission to preach; or fully preached] the ·Good News [Gospel] from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum [C a Roman province northwest of Macedonia; modern Albania, Serbia and Montenegro]. 20 [So; In this way] I always ·want [or try; make it my ambition] to preach the ·Good News [Gospel] in places where ·people have never heard of Christ [L Christ has not been named], ·because I do not want [or in order not] to build on the ·work someone else has already started [L foundation of others]. 21 But [L as; just as] it is written in the Scriptures:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard about him will understand [Is. 52:15].”
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
22 This is the reason I was ·stopped [hindered; or delayed] many times from coming to you. 23 [L But] Now I have ·finished my work here [L no more place (to work) in these regions]. Since for many years I have wanted to come to you, 24 I hope to visit you [while passing through] on my way to Spain. After I enjoy being with you for a while, I hope you can ·help [assist; support] me on my trip. 25 Now I am going to Jerusalem to ·help [minister to; provide a service for] ·God’s people [T the saints]. 26 The believers in Macedonia [C northern Greece] and Achaia [C southern Greece] were ·happy [pleased; or resolved] to ·give their money to help [make a contribution to; 1 Cor. 16:1–4; 2 Cor. 8—9] the poor among ·God’s people [T the saints] at Jerusalem. 27 They were ·happy [pleased; or resolved] to do this, and really they ·owe it [L are debtors] to them. These Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, so they should use their material ·possessions [or blessings] to ·help the Jews [L render service to them]. 28 [L Therefore] After I have completed this collection and ·delivered the money safely to them [L sealed this fruit for them; C uncertain idiom, likely indicating secure packaging or safe arrival of cargo], I will leave for Spain and stop and visit you. 29 I know that when I come to you ·I will bring Christ’s full blessing [or Christ will richly bless our time together; L I will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing].
30 Brothers and sisters, I ·beg [urge; encourage] you to ·help [join; strive together with] me in my work by praying to God for me. Do this because of our Lord Jesus and the love ·that the Holy Spirit gives us [L of the Spirit]. 31 Pray that I will be ·saved [rescued; delivered] from the nonbelievers in Judea and that ·this help I bring [my ministry/service] to Jerusalem will ·please [be acceptable to; be well received by] ·God’s people [T the saints] there. 32 Then, ·if God wants me to [by God’s will], I will come to you with joy, and together you and I will ·have a time of rest [be refreshed]. 33 [Now may] The God who gives peace be with you all. Amen.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.