15
Bearing Others’ Burdens
1We ⚓then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2⚓Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
3⚓For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ⚓“The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”
4For ⚓whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
5⚓Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,
6that you may ⚓with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Glorify God Together
7Therefore ⚓receive one another, just ⚓as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
8Now I say that ⚓Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, ⚓to confirm the promises made to the fathers,
9and ⚓that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
⚓“For this reason I will confess to 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!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12And again, Isaiah says:
⚓“There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13Now may the God of hope fill you with all ⚓joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
From Jerusalem to Illyricum
14Now ⚓I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, ⚓filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, ⚓because of the grace given to me by God,
16that ⚓I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the ⚓offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus ⚓in the things which pertain to God.
18For I will not dare to speak of any of those things ⚓which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, ⚓to make the Gentiles obedient—
19⚓in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, ⚓lest I should build on another man’s foundation,
21but as it is written:
⚓“To whom He was not announced, they shall see;
And those who have not heard shall understand.”
Plan to Visit Rome
22For this reason ⚓I also have been much hindered from coming to you.
23But now no longer having a place in these parts, and ⚓having a great desire these many years to come to you,
24whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, ⚓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 to minister to the saints.
26For ⚓it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.
27It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For ⚓if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, ⚓their duty is also to minister to them in material things.
28Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them ⚓this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.
29⚓But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
30Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and ⚓through the love of the Spirit, ⚓that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
31⚓that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that ⚓my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
32⚓that I may come to you with joy ⚓by the will of God, and may ⚓be refreshed together with you.
33Now ⚓the God of peace be with you all. Amen.