Romans 15

Please Your Neighbors, Not Yourselves

1Now we who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of those who are without strength; we ought not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached yoʋ fell on me.” 4For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5Now may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to have the same mind toward one another, following the example of Christ Jesus, 6so that with one accord and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Receive One Another

7Therefore receive one another, just as Christ has received 1you, to the glory of God. 82Now I say that 3Christ Jesus has become a servant to the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order to confirm the promises that were made to the fathers, 9so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess yoʋ among the 4Gentiles;

I will sing praise to yoʋr name.”

10And again it says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and 5extol him, all you peoples.”

12And again, Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will appear,

he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles will hope.”

13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles

14I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish 6others. 15But I have written to you rather boldly in 7part, brothers, by way of reminder, because of the grace that was given to me by God 16to be a minister of 8Jesus Christ to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore I have a reason for boasting in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18For I will not dare to speak of anything other than what Christ has accomplished through me to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the 9Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20And in this way I aspire to preach the gospel where the name of Christ has not been heard, so that I do not build upon another's foundation, 21but as it is written,

“Those who were not told about him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand.”

Paul's Plan to Visit Rome

22That is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23But now, since I no longer have a place in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24I 10will come to you when I go to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through, and to have you send me on my way there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while. 25But now I am going to Jerusalem to serve the saints. 26For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do so, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in the spiritual blessings of the Jews, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28So when I have finished this task and have sealed to them this fruit, I will set out for Spain and visit you on the way. 29And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing 11of the gospel of Christ.

30Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf. 31Pray that I may be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to believe and that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and be refreshed together with you. 33May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.