Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength,(A) and not to please ourselves. Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.(B) For even the Messiah did not please Himself.(C) On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me.(D)[a] For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,(E) so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. Now may the God who gives[b] endurance and encouragement(F) allow you to live in harmony with one another,(G) according to the command of Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ(H) with a united mind and voice.

Glorifying God Together

Therefore accept one another,(I) just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised[c] on behalf of God’s truth,(J) to confirm the promises to the fathers,(K) and so that Gentiles(L) may glorify God for His mercy.(M) As it is written:

Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles,
and I will sing psalms to Your name.(N)[d]

10 Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people!(O)[e] 11 And again:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
all the peoples should praise Him!(P)[f]

12 And again, Isaiah says:

The root of Jesse(Q) will appear,
the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in Him.(R)[g]

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him(S) so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.(T)

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

14 My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness,(U) filled with all knowledge,(V) and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points[h] because of the grace given me by God(W) 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles,(X) serving as a priest of God’s good news.(Y) My purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable,(Z) sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus(AA) regarding what pertains to God.(AB) 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me(AC) to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders,(AD) and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the good news about the Messiah from Jerusalem(AE) all the way around to Illyricum.[i](AF) 20 My aim is to evangelize where Christ has not been named,(AG) so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,(AH) 21 but, as it is written:

Those who were not told about Him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.(AI)[j]

Paul’s Travel Plans

22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you.(AJ) 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces,[k] and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you(AK) 24 whenever I travel to Spain.[l] For I hope to see you when I pass through, and to be assisted by you for my journey there,(AL) once I have first enjoyed your company(AM) for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem(AN) to serve the saints,(AO) 26 for Macedonia(AP) and Achaia[m](AQ) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits,(AR) then they are obligated to minister to Jews in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds[n] to them,(AS) I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing[o] of Christ.

30 Now I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit,(AT) to join with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf.(AU) 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea,(AV) that the gift I am bringing to[p] Jerusalem(AW) may be acceptable to the saints,(AX) 32 and that, by God’s will,(AY) I may come to you with joy(AZ) and be refreshed together with you.

33 The God of peace be with all of you.(BA) Amen.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:3 Ps 69:9
  2. Romans 15:5 Lit God of
  3. Romans 15:8 The Jews
  4. Romans 15:9 2Sm 22:50; Ps 18:49
  5. Romans 15:10 Dt 32:43
  6. Romans 15:11 Ps 117:1
  7. Romans 15:12 Is 11:10
  8. Romans 15:15 Other mss add brothers
  9. Romans 15:19 A Roman province northwest of Greece on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea
  10. Romans 15:21 Is 52:15
  11. Romans 15:23 Lit now, having no longer a place in these parts
  12. Romans 15:24 Other mss add I will come to you.
  13. Romans 15:26 The churches of these provinces
  14. Romans 15:28 Lit delivered this fruit
  15. Romans 15:29 Other mss add of the gospel
  16. Romans 15:31 Lit that my service for

15 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;

24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.