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Paul’s Reason for Writing

14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. 15 Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.[b] In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.[c]

20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,

“Those who have never been told about him will see,
    and those who have never heard of him will understand.”[d]

22 In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

Paul’s Travel Plans

23 But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 24 I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

25 But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers[e] there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia[f] have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. 28 As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. 29 And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

30 Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. 31 Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation[g] I am taking to Jerusalem. 32 Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

33 And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.[h]

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Footnotes

  1. 15:14 Greek brothers; also in 15:30.
  2. 15:19a Other manuscripts read the Spirit; still others read the Holy Spirit.
  3. 15:19b Illyricum was a region northeast of Italy.
  4. 15:21 Isa 52:15 (Greek version).
  5. 15:25 Greek God’s holy people; also in 15:26, 31.
  6. 15:26 Macedonia and Achaia were the northern and southern regions of Greece.
  7. 15:31 Greek the ministry; other manuscripts read the gift.
  8. 15:33 Some manuscripts do not include Amen. One very early manuscript places 16:25-27 here.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness,(A) filled with knowledge(B) 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(C) 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles.(D) He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God,(E) so that the Gentiles might become an offering(F) acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus(G) in my service to God.(H) 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles(I) to obey God(J) by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders,(K) through the power of the Spirit of God.(L) So from Jerusalem(M) all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.(N) 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel(O) where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.(P) 21 Rather, as it is written:

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

22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.(R)

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,(S) 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain.(T) I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist(U) me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem(V) in the service(W) of the Lord’s people(X) there. 26 For Macedonia(Y) and Achaia(Z) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.(AA) 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.(AB) 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain(AC) and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you,(AD) 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,(AE) to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.(AF) 31 Pray that I may be kept safe(AG) from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution(AH) I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people(AI) there, 32 so that I may come to you(AJ) with joy, by God’s will,(AK) and in your company be refreshed.(AL) 33 The God of peace(AM) be with you all. Amen.

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 15:21 Isaiah 52:15 (see Septuagint)