Romans 15

Please Others, Not Yourselves

1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each one of us please his neighbor for good, toward building up.

3For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon me.” 4For whatever was written before was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5Now may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think the same thing among one another according to Christ Jesus, 6so that with one accord, with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received you, to the glory of God.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

8For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for mercy, as it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.”

10And again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples praise him.”

12And again Isaiah says,

“There shall be the root of Jesse,

and the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles will hope.”

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

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14And I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

15But I have written more boldly to you in some measure, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me from God, 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17Therefore I have boasting in Christ Jesus in the things pertaining to God. 18For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the gospel of Christ.

20And thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, so that I might 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

22Therefore I was often hindered from coming to you; 23but now, having no more place in these regions, and having a longing for many years to come to you, 24whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you as I pass through and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while—

25but now I am going to Jerusalem serving the holy ones. 26For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem.

27For they were pleased to do it, and they are indebted to them; for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.

28Therefore, when I have completed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go by way of you to Spain. 29And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the holy ones, 32so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and be refreshed together with you.

33Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.