15 Some of us trust God with strong faith. We must help those believers whose faith is weaker. We must be patient with them. We should not just do things that will make us happy ourselves. 2 Instead, each of us should do things that will make other believers happy. We should help them to trust God more strongly. 3 Even Christ did not just do things that would make himself happy. It is written in the Bible that he said this: ‘People have insulted you, God. In that way they have also insulted me.’ [ a ]
4 Everything that people wrote in the Bible in past times is there to teach us something. Those words help us to be patient and strong. As a result, we can trust God to do what he has promised.
5 It is God himself who helps us to be patient and strong. So I pray that he will help you to agree with each other and to be friends. That is how Christ Jesus wants you to live. 6 As a result, all of you will praise God together with the same thoughts. You will all agree that God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is very great.
7 Christ has accepted you, so you must accept each other. In that way you will be praising God. 8 Remember this: Christ became a servant of the Jews so that they could understand God's true message. He showed them that God has now done what he promised to their ancestors. [ b ] 9 The Gentiles also praise God because he has been kind to them. This is written in the Bible:
‘I will tell the Gentiles about you, God.
I will praise you with songs, to show how great you are.’ [ c ]
10 It says also in the Bible:
‘Be very happy, you Gentiles!
Praise God together with his people.’ [ d ]
11 It also says this:
‘Say how great the Lord is, all you Gentiles.
All people, from every country, should say how great he is.’ [ e ]
12 God's prophet Isaiah says this:
‘The root of Jesse will arrive.
He will come to rule the Gentiles.
The Gentiles will trust him to save them.’ [ f ]
13 God is the one who causes us to hope for good things. I pray that God will bless you very much. I pray that he will cause you to be happy and to have peace in your minds. He will do this because you believe in him. As a result, God's Holy Spirit will make you strong with his power, so that you hope even more certainly.
14 My Christian friends, I myself am completely sure that you are always good. You know everything about God's message, so that you are able to teach one another what is right. 15 I know that is true, but I still needed to write this letter to you. I have written to you strongly, so that you would remember certain things. Because God is kind, he has chosen me to serve him in this way. 16 I am a servant of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles. I tell people God's good news. I work like a priest so that God will accept the Gentiles. I offer them to God. The Holy Spirit has made them clean and so God accepts them.
17 So I can be proud about my work. I can serve God well because I belong to Christ Jesus. 18 But I will only speak about the work that Christ has made me able to do. I have lived among the Gentiles and I have spoken God's message to them. They have obeyed God as a result of Christ's work through me. 19 God's Holy Spirit used his power to do many miracles. He caused many great and powerful things to happen. As a result, I have told the whole good news about Christ to many people. I have told it while I travelled all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum. [ g ]
20 I want to go to places where nobody has ever told people about Christ before. I want to tell the good news to people in those places. That is what I have always wanted to do. I do not want to work in a place where someone else has already started to teach God's message. 21 This is written in the Bible about God's Messiah:
‘Those people that nobody ever told them about him will now see.
Those people who have never heard about him will now understand.’ [ h ]
22 That is why, many times, I have not had a chance to visit you. 23 For many years I have been waiting for the chance to come. But now I have finished my work in these places here. 24 So I hope to visit you while I am travelling to Spain. I will stay with you in Rome for a short time. I will really enjoy having some time together with you there. Then you can help me to continue my journey.
25 But now, I am ready to go to Jerusalem to help God's people there. 26 Some of them are poor, and the Christians in Macedonia and Achaia wanted to help them. So they got some money to send to those people. 27 The Christians in Macedonia and Achaia were happy to share what they had. [ i ] But really, they have a duty to help the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. It is the Jews who shared good things from God to help the Gentiles in their spirits. So now the Gentiles ought to help the Jewish Christians with things that they need for their bodies.
28 So I must take their gift safely to the Christians in Jerusalem. When I have finished that job, I will come to visit you. Then I will continue my journey to Spain. 29 When I visit you, I know that Christ will bless us very much while we are together.
30 My Christian friends, please pray for me as I do this difficult work. Together we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. God's Spirit has given us love for each other. So I ask you to help me and to pray with me. 31 Pray that God will keep me safe from those people in Judea who have refused to believe in Jesus. Pray also that God's people at Jerusalem will happily accept the gift that I am taking to them. [ j ]
32 If God agrees, I will then be able to come to you, and we will be happy together. I will enjoy having some rest while I stay there with you. 33 I pray that God will give you peace in your minds. I pray that he will be with all of you and help you. Amen.
15 Some of us have no problem with these things. So we should be patient with those who are not so strong and have doubts. We should not do what pleases us 2 but do what pleases them and is for their good. We should do whatever helps everyone grow stronger in faith. 3 Even Christ did not live trying to please himself. As the Scriptures say about him, “Those people who insulted you have also insulted me.” [ a ] 4 Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Those things were written so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement that the Scriptures give us. 5 All patience and encouragement come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree with each other, as Christ Jesus wants. 6 Then you will all be joined together. And all together you will give glory to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other. This will bring honor [ b ] to God. 8 I tell you that Christ became a servant of the Jews to show that God has done what he promised their great ancestors. 9 Christ also did this so that the non-Jewish people could praise God for the mercy he gives to them. The Scriptures say,
“So I will give thanks to you among the people of other nations;
I will sing praise to your name.” ( A )
10 And the Scriptures say,
“You people of other nations should be happy together with God’s people.” ( B )
11 The Scriptures also say,
“Praise the Lord all you people of other nations;
all people should praise the Lord.” ( C )
12 And Isaiah says,
“Someone will come from Jesse’s family. [ c ]
He will come to rule over the nations,
and they will put their hope in him.” ( D )
13 I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 My brothers and sisters, I know without a doubt that you are full of goodness and have all the knowledge you need. So you are certainly able to counsel each other. 15 But I have written to you very openly about some things that I wanted you to remember. I did this because God gave me this special gift: 16 to be a servant of Christ Jesus for those who are not Jews. I serve like a priest whose duty it is to tell God’s Good News. He gave me this work so that you non-Jewish people could be an offering that he will accept—an offering made holy by the Holy Spirit.
17 That is why I feel so good about what I have done for God in my service to Christ Jesus. 18 I will not talk about anything I did myself. I will talk only about what Christ has done with me in leading the non-Jewish people to obey God. They have obeyed him because of what I have said and done. 19 And they obeyed him because of the power of the miraculous signs and wonders that happened—all because of the power of God’s Spirit. I have told people the Good News about Christ in every place from Jerusalem to Illyricum. And so I have finished that part of my work. 20 I always want to tell the Good News in places where people have never heard of Christ. I do this because I don’t want to build on the work that someone else has already started. 21 But as the Scriptures say,
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard about him will understand.” ( E )
22 That’s what has kept me so busy and prevented my coming to see you even though I have wanted to come many times.
23 Now I have finished my work in these areas. And for many years I have wanted to visit you. 24 So I will visit you when I go to Spain. Yes, I hope to visit you while I am traveling to Spain, and I will stay and enjoy being with you. Then you can help me continue on my trip.
25 Now I am going to Jerusalem to help God’s people there. 26 Some of them are poor, and the believers in Macedonia and Achaia wanted to help them. So they gathered some money to send them. 27 They were happy to do this. And it was like paying something they owed them, because as non-Jews they have been blessed spiritually by the Jews. So now they should use the material blessings they have to help the Jews. 28 I am going to Jerusalem to make sure the poor get this money that has been given for them.
After I finish that, I will leave for Spain and stop to visit you on the way. 29 And I know that when I visit you, I will bring you Christ’s full blessing.
30 Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me. Do this because of our Lord Jesus and the love that the Spirit gives us. 31 Pray that I will be saved from those in Judea who refuse to accept our message. And pray that this help I am bringing to Jerusalem will please God’s people there. 32 Then, if God wants me to, I will come to you. I will come with joy, and together you and I will have a time of rest. 33 The God who gives peace be with you all. Amen.
15 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.
23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of ( A ) those without strength, and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to ( B ) please his neighbor [ a ] for his good, to his ( C ) edification. 3 For even ( D ) Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “ ( E ) The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me .” 4 For ( F ) whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the ( G ) God [ b ] who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you ( H ) to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one purpose and one [ c ] voice you may glorify ( I ) the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, [ d ] ( J ) accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [ e ] us, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to ( K ) the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm ( L ) the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for ( M ) the Gentiles to ( N ) glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:
“ ( O ) Therefore I will [ f ] give praise to You among the Gentiles ,
And I will sing praises to Your name .”
10 Again he says,
“ ( P ) Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people .”
11 And again,
“ ( Q ) Praise the Lord all you Gentiles ,
And let all the peoples praise Him .”
12 Again Isaiah says,
“ ( R ) There shall come ( S ) the root of Jesse ,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles ,
( T ) In Him will the Gentiles hope .”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all ( U ) joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope ( V ) by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 And concerning you, my brothers and sisters , I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of ( W ) goodness, filled with ( X ) all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of ( Y ) the grace that was given to me [ g ] from God, 16 to be ( Z ) a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the ( AA ) gospel of God, so that my ( AB ) offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found ( AC ) reason for boasting in ( AD ) things pertaining to God. 18 ( AE ) For I will not presume to speak of anything [ h ] except what ( AF ) Christ has accomplished through me, [ i ] resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of [ j ] ( AG ) signs and wonders, ( AH ) in the power of the Spirit; so that ( AI ) from Jerusalem and all around as ( AJ ) far as Illyricum I have [ k ] fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And in this way I aspired to ( AK ) preach the gospel, not where Christ was already known by name, ( AL ) so that I would not build on another person’s foundation; 21 but just as it is written:
“ ( AM ) They who have not been told about Him will see ,
And they who have not heard will understand .”
22 For this reason ( AN ) I have often been prevented from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I ( AO ) have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I ( AP ) go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be ( AQ ) helped on my way there by you, when I have first ( AR ) enjoyed your company [ l ] for a while— 25 but now, ( AS ) I am going to Jerusalem, ( AT ) serving the [ m ] saints. 26 For ( AU ) Macedonia and ( AV ) Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the [ n ] saints in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do so , and they are indebted to them. For ( AW ) if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to do them a service also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and ( AX ) have [ o ] put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will ( AY ) go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when ( AZ ) I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters , by our Lord Jesus Christ and by ( BA ) the love of the Spirit, to ( BB ) strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be ( BC ) rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my ( BD ) service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the [ p ] ( BE ) saints; 32 so that ( BF ) I may come to you in joy by ( BG ) the will of God and relax in your company. 33 Now ( BH ) the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak ( A ) and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, ( B ) to build them up. ( C ) 3 For even Christ did not please himself ( D ) but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” [ a ] ( E ) 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, ( F ) so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind ( G ) toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify ( H ) the God and Father ( I ) of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, ( J ) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews [ b ] ( K ) on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises ( L ) made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles ( M ) might glorify God ( N ) for his mercy. As it is written:
10 Again, it says,
11 And again,
12 And again, Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse ( R ) will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
in him the Gentiles will hope.” [ f ] ( S )
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace ( T ) as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ( U )
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, ( V ) filled with knowledge ( W ) 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 ( X ) 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. ( Y ) He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, ( Z ) so that the Gentiles might become an offering ( AA ) acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus ( AB ) in my service to God. ( AC ) 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles ( AD ) to obey God ( AE ) by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, ( AF ) through the power of the Spirit of God. ( AG ) So from Jerusalem ( AH ) all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. ( AI ) 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel ( AJ ) where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. ( AK ) 21 Rather, as it is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.” [ g ] ( AL )
22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. ( AM )
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, ( AN ) 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. ( AO ) I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist ( AP ) me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem ( AQ ) in the service ( AR ) of the Lord’s people ( AS ) there. 26 For Macedonia ( AT ) and Achaia ( AU ) were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. ( AV ) 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. ( AW ) 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain ( AX ) and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, ( AY ) 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, ( AZ ) to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. ( BA ) 31 Pray that I may be kept safe ( BB ) from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution ( BC ) I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people ( BD ) there, 32 so that I may come to you ( BE ) with joy, by God’s will, ( BF ) and in your company be refreshed. ( BG ) 33 The God of peace ( BH ) be with you all. Amen.
