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Romans 15-16
Christian Standard Bible

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. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.(B) 3 For even Christ did not please himself.(C) On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.[a](D) 4 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. 5 Now may the God who gives[b] endurance and encouragement(F) grant you to live in harmony with one another,(G) according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ(H) with one mind and one voice.

Glorifying God Together

7 Therefore welcome one another,(I) just as[c] Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised[d] on behalf of God’s truth,(J) to confirm the promises to the fathers,(K) 9 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 praise to your name.[e](N)

10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people![f](O) 11 And again,

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise him![g](P)

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.[h](R)

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

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

14 My brothers and sisters, 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[i] 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 the gospel of God.(Y) God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering,(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) by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 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 gospel of Christ from Jerusalem(AE) all the way around to Illyricum.[j](AF) 20 My aim is to preach the gospel 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.[k](AI)

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 regions,[l] and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you(AK) 24 whenever I travel to Spain.[m] 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 because Macedonia(AP) and Achaia(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 them in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds[n] to them,[o](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[p] of Christ.

30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit,(AT) to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf.(AU) 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea,(AV) that my ministry to[q] 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 May the God of peace be with all of you.(BA) Amen.

Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe

16 I commend to you(BB) our sister Phoebe, who is a servant[r] of the church in Cenchreae.(BC) 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord(BD) in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.

Greeting to Roman Christians

3 Give my greetings to Prisca[s] and Aquila,(BE) my coworkers in(BF) Christ Jesus,(BG) 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home.(BH) Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert[t](BI) to Christ from Asia.[u](BJ) 6 Greet Mary,[v] who has worked very hard for you.[w] 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews[x](BK) and fellow prisoners.(BL) They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles,[y] and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.(BM) 11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.[z] Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus,(BN) chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.(BO) 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(BP) All the churches of Christ send you greetings.

Warning against Divisive People

17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned.(BQ) Avoid them,(BR) 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ(BS) but their own appetites.[aa](BT) They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.(BU)

Paul’s Gracious Conclusion

19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone.(BV) Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil.(BW) 20 The God of peace(BX) will soon crush Satan(BY) under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.(BZ)

21 Timothy,(CA) my coworker, and Lucius,(CB) Jason,(CC) and Sosipater,(CD) my fellow countrymen, greet you.

22 I, Tertius, who wrote this letter,(CE) greet you in the Lord.[ab]

23 Gaius,(CF) who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus,(CG) the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.[ac]

Glory to God

25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you(CH) according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ,(CI) according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent(CJ) for long ages(CK) 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures,(CL) according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith(CM) among all the Gentiles— 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever![ad](CN) Amen.

Footnotes

  1. 15:3 Ps 69:9
  2. 15:5 Lit God of
  3. 15:7 Or because
  4. 15:8 The Jews
  5. 15:9 2Sm 22:50; Ps 18:49
  6. 15:10 Dt 32:43
  7. 15:11 Ps 117:1
  8. 15:12 Is 11:10
  9. 15:15 Other mss add brothers
  10. 15:19 A Roman province northwest of Greece on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea
  11. 15:21 Is 52:15
  12. 15:23 Lit now, having no longer a place in these parts
  13. 15:24 Other mss add I will come to you.
  14. 15:28 Lit delivered this fruit
  15. 15:28 Or and placed my seal of approval on this fruit for them
  16. 15:29 Other mss add of the gospel
  17. 15:31 Lit that my service for
  18. 16:1 Others interpret this term in a technical sense: deacon, or deaconess, or minister, or courier
  19. 16:3 Traditionally, Priscilla, as in Ac 18:2,18,26
  20. 16:5 Lit the firstfruits
  21. 16:5 Other mss read Achaia
  22. 16:6 Or Maria
  23. 16:6 Other mss read us
  24. 16:7 Or family members
  25. 16:7 Or They are noteworthy among the apostles
  26. 16:11 Or family member
  27. 16:18 Lit belly
  28. 16:22 Or letter in the Lord, greet you
  29. 16:23 Some mss include v. 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
  30. 16:25–27 Other mss have these vv. at the end of chap. 14 or 15.
Listen to Romans 15-16
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Romans 15-16
New International Version

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:

“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.

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.

3 Greet Priscilla[j] and Aquila,(BM) my co-workers(BN) in Christ Jesus.(BO) 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.(BP)

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert(BQ) to Christ in the province of Asia.(BR)

6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.

7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews(BS) who have been in prison with me.(BT) They are outstanding among[k] the apostles, and they were in Christ(BU) before I was.

8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ,(BV) and my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.(BW)

Greet those who belong to the household(BX) of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.(BY)

Greet those in the household(BZ) of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus,(CA) chosen(CB) in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.

15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people(CC) who are with them.(CD)

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.(CE)

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

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)

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)
  8. Romans 16:1 Or servant
  9. Romans 16:1 The word deacon refers here to a Christian designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Phil. 1:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
  10. Romans 16:3 Greek Prisca, a variant of Priscilla
  11. Romans 16:7 Or are esteemed by
  12. Romans 16:24 Some manuscripts include here May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.
  13. Romans 16:26 Or that is
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