Romans 15
Lexham English Bible
Accept One Another according to Christ’s Example
15 But we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for his good, for the purpose of edification. 3 For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4 For whatever was written beforehand was written for our instruction, in order that through patient endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope. 5 Now may the God of patient endurance and of encouragement grant you to be in agreement[b] with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one mind you may glorify with one mouth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also has accepted you, to the glory of God.
8 For I say, Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, just as it is written,
“Because of this, I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praise to your name.”[c]
10 And again it says,
“Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people.”[d]
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord, all the Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him.”[e]
12 And again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse will come,
even the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles will put their hope.”[f]
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Ministry to the Gentiles
14 Now I myself also am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to instruct one another. 15 But I have written to you more boldly on some points, so as to remind you again because of the grace that has been given to me by God, 16 with the result that I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving the gospel of God as a priest, in order that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have a reason for boasting in Christ Jesus regarding the things concerning God. 18 For I will not dare to speak about anything except that which Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit,[g] so that from Jerusalem and traveling around as far as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 And so, having as my ambition to proclaim the gospel where Christ has not been named, in order that I will not build on the foundation belonging to someone else, 21 but just as it is written,
“Those to whom it was not announced concerning him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”[h]
Paul’s Travel Plans
22 For this reason also I was hindered many times from coming to you, 23 and now, no longer having a place in these regions, but having a desire for many years to come to you 24 whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope while I[i] am passing through to see you and to be sent on my way by you, whenever I have first enjoyed your company for a while. 25 But now I am traveling to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do so, and they are obligated to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to serve them in material things. 28 Therefore, after I[j] have accomplished this and sealed this fruit for delivery to them, I will depart by way of you for Spain, 29 and I know that when I[k] come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to contend along with me in your prayers on my behalf to God, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that, coming to you with joy by the will of God, I may rest with you. 33 Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 15:3 A quotation from Ps 69:9
- Romans 15:5 Literally “to think the same”
- Romans 15:9 A quotation from Ps 18:49
- Romans 15:10 A quotation from Deut 32:43
- Romans 15:11 A quotation from Ps 117:1
- Romans 15:12 A quotation from Isa 11:10
- Romans 15:19 Some manuscripts have “of the Spirit of God”
- Romans 15:21 A quotation from Isa 52:15
- Romans 15:24 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the participle (“passing through”) which is understood as temporal
- Romans 15:28 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have accomplished”) which is understood as temporal
- Romans 15:29 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“come”) which is understood as temporal
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.
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