Romans 15

Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

15Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, ^pand not to please ourselves. ²Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ^q3For even the Messiah did not please Himself. ^rOn the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me. ^st4For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, ^uso that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. ⁵Now may the God who gives ^vendurance and encouragement ^wallow you to live in harmony with one another, ^xaccording to the command of Christ Jesus, ⁶so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ^ywith a united mind and voice.

Glorifying God Together

⁷Therefore accept one another, ^zjust as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. ⁸For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised ^aon behalf of God’s truth, ^bto confirm the promises to the fathers, ^c9and so that Gentiles ^dmay glorify God for His mercy. ^eAs it is written:

Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles,

and I will sing psalms to Your name. ^fg

¹⁰Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people! ^hi11And again:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

all the peoples should praise Him! ^jk

¹²And again, Isaiah says:

The root of Jesse ^lwill appear,

the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;

the Gentiles will hope in Him. ^mn

¹³Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him ^oso that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ^p

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

¹⁴My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, ^qfilled with all knowledge, ^rand able to instruct one another. ¹⁵Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points ^sbecause of the grace given me by God ^t16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ^userving as a priest of God’s good news. ^vMy purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, ^wsanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus ^xregarding what pertains to God. ^y18For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me ^zto make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, ^aand by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the good news about the Messiah from Jerusalem ^ball the way around to Illyricum. ^cd20My aim is to evangelize where Christ has not been named, ^eso that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, ^f21but, as it is written:

Those who were not told about Him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand. ^gh

Paul’s Travel Plans

²²That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. ⁱ²³But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces, ^jand I have strongly desired for many years to come to you ^k24whenever I travel to Spain. ^lFor I hope to see you when I pass through, and to be assisted by you for my journey there, ^monce I have first enjoyed your company ⁿfor a while. ²⁵Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem ^oto serve the saints, ^p26for Macedonia ^qand Achaia ^rswere pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ²⁷Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, ^tthen they are obligated to minister to Jews in material needs. ²⁸So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds ^uto them, ^vI will visit you on the way to Spain. ²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing ^wof Christ.

³⁰Now I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, ^xto join with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf. ^y31Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, ^zthat the gift I am bringing to ^aJerusalem ^bmay be acceptable to the saints, ^c32and that, by God’s will, ^dI may come to you with joy ^eand be refreshed together with you.

³³The God of peace be with all of you. ^fAmen.