Old/New Testament

¹⁴ My brothers, I myself believe that you are very good people. I believe that you know many things and are able to teach one another.

¹⁵ I have written strong words to you. There are some things I want you to remember. I have written because of the gift God has given to me.

¹⁶ I am a servant of Christ Jesus to the people who are not Jews. I am like a priest to them, to tell them God's good news. Then I offer the people to God. That pleases God. They have been accepted by him and made holy by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ So, because of Christ Jesus, I am proud of my work for God.

¹⁸ I will speak only of what Christ has done through me. People who are not Jews have obeyed the good news. They have obeyed because of what I told them and because of what I did.

¹⁹ I had the power to do signs and wonderful things through the power of the Holy Spirit. So I have told the good news of Christ all the way from the city of Jerusalem to the country of Illyricum.

²⁰ I have wanted to tell the good news where people have not heard the name of Christ. I did not want to work where another man had started to work.

²¹ The holy writings say, `They were not told about him, but they will see him. And the people who have not heard of him will understand.'

²² So I have been stopped many times from coming to you.

²³ But now, I am no longer needed to work in these places. And I have wanted for many years to come to you.

²⁴ When I go to the country of Spain, I hope to see you on my way there. I hope you will help me on my way to that place. But first I will be happy to be with you for a little while.

²⁵ But now I am going to Jerusalem with a gift to help God's people.

²⁶ The people of Macedonia and Achaia wanted to send a gift to help God's people in Jerusalem who are poor.

²⁷ They wanted to do it, and they should do it for them. The Jews gave the people who were not Jews the good things their spirits need. So the people who were not Jews should give the Jews the good things their bodies need.

²⁸ I will finish doing this, and I will give them what the people send them. Then I will go by you on my way to Spain.

²⁹ And I know that when I come to you, I will bring great blessings from Christ.

³⁰ My brothers, I ask you to do this for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and because the Spirit has given you love. Talk to God for me. And I also will talk to him.

³¹ Ask him to save me from the people in Judea who do not believe. Ask him that the gift I take to Jerusalem may please God's people there.

³² Ask him to let me come to you and have a good time with you.

³³ God gives peace. I ask that he will be with you all. He will!