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Beginning

Read the Bible from start to finish, from Genesis to Revelation.

Duration: 365 days

Romans 14-16

Chapter 14

The Weak and the Strong in the Community.^[a] ¹Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. ²One person may have the faith to eat any kind of food, whereas a weak person may eat only vegetables. ³The one who eats everything must not look contemptuously on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed both. ⁴What right do you have to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? The master will determine whether that servant will stand or fall. But the servant will be upheld, for the Lord has the power to enable him to stand.

⁵One person may consider one day to be more sacred than another, while another may judge all days to be alike. Let everyone be convinced in his own beliefs. ⁶Whoever observes the day observes it for the Lord. Also, the one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and thereby also gives thanks to God.

⁷None of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself. ⁸If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹It was for this reason that Christ died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰Why then do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? All of us will have to stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord,
every knee shall bow before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”

¹²Consideration for the Weak Conscience. So, then, each one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. ¹³Therefore, let us cease passing judgment on one another, but rather judge never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. ¹⁴I know, and am convinced in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. However, it is unclean for someone who believes it to be unclean.

¹⁵If your brother is seriously offended by what you eat, then you are no longer being guided by love. Do not allow the food that you eat to destroy anyone for whom Christ died. ¹⁶Do not let what you think is good to become what others say is evil. ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸The one who serves Christ in such things is pleasing to God and respected by others.

¹⁹Let us^[b] then pursue the ways that lead to peace and mutual edification. ²⁰Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to cause others to fall by what you eat. ²¹It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes your brother to stumble.

²²Whatever faith you have, keep it between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves. ²³But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act from faith. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Chapter 15

Patience and Self-Denial. ¹Those of us who are strong must resolve to put up with the failings of the weak and not please ourselves. ²Each of us must consider his neighbor’s good for the purpose of building him up. ³Even Christ never sought to please himself, but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen upon me.” ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that by perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we may continue to have hope.

⁵May the God of perseverance and encouragement grant that you may live in harmony with one another, following in the example of Jesus Christ, ⁶so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s Fidelity and Mercy.^[c] ⁷Therefore, accept one another for the glory of God, just as Christ has accepted you. ⁸For I tell you that Christ became a servant of the circumcised to manifest God’s truthfulness by confirming the promises given to the patriarchs ⁹and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:

“Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles
and sing praises to your name.”

¹⁰And again it says:

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”^[d]

¹¹Further it adds:

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him.”

¹²And again Isaiah asserts:

“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who will arise to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in him.”^[e]

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may grow rich in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Epilogue^[f]

¹⁴Apostle to the Gentiles.^[g] Brethren, I myself am convinced that you yourselves are immersed in goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵Nevertheless, I have written to you rather boldly to refresh your memory in some respects because of the grace given to me by God. ¹⁶He has appointed me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, in order that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering consecrated by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to glory in my service of God. ¹⁸I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience to God by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God.

So from Jerusalem^[h] and the surrounding area, even as far as Illyricum, I have completed the preaching of the gospel of Christ. ²⁰Moreover, I have always striven to preach the gospel of Christ where the name of Christ is not known, not wanting to build on someone else’s foundation. ²¹Rather, as it is written:

“Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”

²²Paul’s Plans for Traveling—Even to Spain.^[i] That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you. ²³But now, since there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and since for a good many years I have desired to visit you, ²⁴I hope to see you when I am on my way to Spain. Then, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can send me on my way there.

²⁵Presently, however, I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. ²⁶For Macedonia and Achaia^[j] have resolved to make a contribution for the benefit of the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ²⁷They were pleased to do so, and indeed they are indebted to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they owe it to them to share their material blessings with them.

²⁸Therefore, when I have completed this task and have delivered the fruit of their generosity to them, I will set out for Spain and visit you along the way. ²⁹And I am sure that when I come, I shall do so with the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

³⁰Therefore, I exhort you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my labors by praying to God for me ³¹that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there. ³²In that way, I can come to you in joy, if God so wills, and be refreshed together with you. ³³The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Chapter 16

Recommendation of Phoebe.^[k] ¹I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deaconess^[l] of the Church at Cenchreae. ²Welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and help her with whatever she may need from you, for she has been a benefactor of many people, including myself.

List of Greetings. ³Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. ⁴They risked their lives for me, and I as well as all the Churches of the Gentiles am grateful to them. ⁵Greet also the Church that assembles in their house.

Give my greetings to my beloved friend Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. ⁶Greet Mary, who has worked extremely hard for you. ⁷Greet Andronicus and Junia,^[m] my relatives who were in prison with me; they are eminent in the ranks of the apostles and were in Christ before I was.

⁸Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. ¹⁰Greet Apelles,^[n] who has proved worthy in the service of Christ, and those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.^[o]

¹¹Greetings to my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the household of Narcissus.^[p] ¹²Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa^[q] who labor diligently in the Lord’s service. Greet my dear friend Persis, who also works hard for the Lord. ¹³Give my greetings to Rufus,^[r] one chosen by the Lord, as well as to his mother who has also been a mother to me.

¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵Greetings to Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, as well as all the saints who are with them. ¹⁶Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the Churches of Christ send you their greetings.

¹⁷Beware of Dissenters. I urge you, brethren, to watch out for those who incite dissensions and obstacles in opposition to the teaching that you have learned. Take care to avoid them. ¹⁸For such people are not servants of our Lord Jesus Christ but of their own appetites, and by smooth words and flattery they deceive the minds of the simple. ¹⁹Your obedience has become known to all and has caused me to rejoice greatly over you. However, I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil; ²⁰then the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²¹Greetings from Paul’s Companions at Corinth. Timothy, my coworker, sends greetings to you, as do Lucius and Jason^[s] and Sosipater, my kinsmen. ²²I, Tertius, who am writing down this letter, greet you in the Lord. ²³Greetings also from Gaius,^[t] my host and the host to the whole Church, and from Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus. [ ²⁴The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]^[u]

Glory to God through Jesus Christ^[v]

²⁵Now to him who has the power to strengthen you
in accordance with the gospel that I preach
and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery
that was kept secret for long ages
²⁶but is now revealed,
and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the nations
according to the command of the eternal God
to bring them to the obedience of faith—
²⁷to God who alone is wise,
through Jesus Christ
be glory forever! Amen.

Footnotes

Romans 14:1 Two groups or tendencies are already manifested in the early Christian communities. Some cling, though not without some scruples, to the religious practices in which they have been reared: refusal of sacrificed meats or abstentions from foods on certain days—and these may be termed “the weak.” Others, in the same freedom of the Gospel, criticize the former—and these may be termed “the strong.” The text evokes a situation like that in Corinth (1 Cor 8:4-13).
Paul has always been categorically opposed to confusing grace with the Law; he has refused to impose either Jewish or Gentile practices on new converts and has declared that all ancient religious practices are excluded as a way to gain justification. He is undoubtedly also aware of the teaching of Jesus concerning what is clean and unclean (Mk 7:1-23). Moreover, he has never refused to allow Christians of Jewish origin to esteem attachment to their religious tradition. He has put clamps on the new freedom only when such freedom turns into provocative pretense and an attitude of superiority.
Freedom is not given to enable someone to criticize others; it does not consist in remonstrating with others about theory or comportment. No principle of freedom can lead to an attitude of scorn or incomprehension. Christians maintain a desire for the salvation of all, and regard everyone as a brother or sister for whom Christ died. They are open to safeguard the relations and exchanges of a varied and pluralist community. Profound respect for the conscience of each person is required, as is the refusal to judge one another. Most important, all must have the freedom to act according to their consciences before God (see Acts 15).
Romans 14:19 Let us: some manuscripts and Fathers of the Church have: “We.”
Romans 15:7 It is the unity of believers that glorifies God (Rom 15:6). That is why, despite the fact that Christ himself preached only to the Jews—to the circumcised—he willed that the Gentiles should also be called to salvation and thereby attest that they too are loved by God. In that same love, all Christians should embrace their neighbors.
Romans 15:10 The citation from Deut 32:43 is given in the Septuagint version.
Romans 15:12 The citation is based on Isa 11:10 and Rev 5:5; 22:16. Root of Jesse: Jesse was the father of David (see 1 Sam 16:5; Mt 1:6), and the Messiah was the “Son of David” (Mt 21:9). The Gentiles will hope in him: this prophecy is fulfilled in the evangelization of the Gentiles.
Romans 15:14 Paul has set forth his main ideas on Christian faith in Christ dead and risen. He now briefly explains his plans and in this context tells his readers in what his ministry consists. The Letter ends with a liturgical hymn that is also a profession of faith.
Romans 15:14 Paul regards his apostolic work as a sacred service, as a Liturgy of God in the world of human beings; in fact, it is in the name of God and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that the Apostle intervenes to prompt people to belief and to lead the human family to be committed to God. He looks upon this action as the true sacrifice, one that expresses a gift and a love for life itself. It is understood that a community that proclaims the Gospel is also a community that celebrates the Eucharist (see Rom 1:9; 12:1; Phil 2:17).
Paul is conscious that, aided by the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit, he is carrying out a proper task. He makes the Gospel present in the human groups of the Gentile world and rejoices in having accomplished a foundational work.
Romans 15:19 Jerusalem and Illyricum, which borders on Macedonia in the northwest, are the two extremes of Paul’s apostolate at this time.
Romans 15:22 Rome is not to be anything more than a stopover on Paul’s journey to Spain. He plans to travel to the very ends of the West to continue his mission to make the Gospel present where it has not yet been announced. Apparently, he intends to go to Jerusalem to bring to indigent Christians (“saints”) of that mother community the fruits of the collection organized by Christians converted from paganism. This will be not only a gesture of mutual aid but a test of unity among Christians of both Gentile and Jewish origin (see 1 Cor 16:14; 2 Cor 8–9; Gal 2:10). A genuine fraternal communion requires a new practice of exchanging goods with one another.
In the wake of the Galatian crisis, the Apostle is justified in thinking that he risks being badly received in Judea. The prayer of the Romans will be a comfort to him. The Book of Acts tells the story of his arrest in Jerusalem (ch. 21) and his journey to Rome (chs. 27–28).
Romans 15:26 Achaia: the Roman province of southern Greece.
Romans 16:1 Relations between the Churches became closer thanks to the fraternal relations among their members. Many of the persons named here remain unknown to us. Phoebe, who exercises a ministry of assistance among poor and sick women in Cenchreae, the port of Corinth, is possibly the bearer of the Letter. Prisca and Aquila: since “Prisca” is a variant of “Priscilla,” it is obvious that these are the same two people who are placed at Rome, Corinth, and Ephesus by the Book of Acts and Paul’s Letters (see Acts 18:2, 18-19, 26; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19). In the Greek, Roman, and Jewish names, we can assume differences of social condition. Thus, this list testifies to the internal diversity of communities assembled together in the Church of Christ and, at the same time, to the responsibilities held by members of each group, made up of lay people, men or women, celibate or married. In the midst of these salutations, a severe condemnation is lodged against all those who sow division and scandal. Paul is probably thinking of Judaizing preachers (see Gal 5:7-12; Phil 3:18f) or teachers of religion preoccupied with their profit.
Romans 16:1 Phoebe, who is a deaconess: this verse seems to allow an office of a woman deacon although Scripture does not define the specific responsibilities of a woman deacon. See also 1 Tim 4:14.
Romans 16:7 Junia: this name is usually taken to be masculine; others see it as feminine. In fact, some manuscripts have “Julia” in place of “Junia.”
Romans 16:10 Ampliatus . . . Urbanus . . . Stachys . . . Apelles: these are all common names of slaves found in the imperial household.
Romans 16:10 Aristobulus: some think this name refers to the grandson of Herod the Great and the brother of Herod Agrippa I.
Romans 16:11 Narcissus: sometimes identified with Tiberius Claudius Narcissus, a wealthy freedman of the Roman Emperor Tiberius.
Romans 16:12 Tryphaena and Tryphosa: may refer to twin sisters who were wont to bear names based on the same root. Persis: i.e., a Persian woman.
Romans 16:13 Rufus: possibly the Rufus mentioned in Mk 15:21 as the son of Simon the Cyrenian, who helped Jesus carry his cross.
Romans 16:21 Jason: possibly the person mentioned in Acts 17:5-9. Sosipater: some think this is the son of Pyrrhus from Beroea who is called Sopater in Acts 20:4.
Romans 16:23 Gaius: some think this is the Titus Justus in whose house Paul lodged while in Corinth (see Acts 18:7 and 1 Cor 1:14). Erastus, the city treasurer: this may be the same person referred to in Acts 19:22 and 2 Tim 4:20. He may also be the person mentioned in the following Latin inscription recently found on a block of stone at Corinth: “Erastus, commissioner of public works, bore no expense of this pavement.”
Romans 16:24 This verse is found in some manuscripts (see v. 20).
Romans 16:25 This fine liturgical hymn expresses the Church’s joy at living in a time when the mystery of salvation is being fulfilled. Mystery: Paul uses this word to set forth: (1) the Incarnation (see 1 Tim 3:16); (2) Christ’s saving Death on the Cross (see 1 Cor 2:1, 7); (3) the restoration of all things in Christ (see Eph 1:9); (4) the change wrought by Christ’s Resurrection (see 1 Cor 15:51); and (5) the inclusion of both Jew and Gentile in the Kingdom of God (see v. 25).

New Catholic Bible (NCB)