PLEASING OTHERS, NOT OURSELVES

15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength,al and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.am 3 For even Christ did not please himself.an On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.G,ao 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,ap so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who givesH endurance and encouragementaq grant you to live in harmony with one another,ar according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christas with one mind and one voice.

GLORIFYING GOD TOGETHER

7 Therefore welcome one another,at just as* Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcisedI on behalf of God’s truth,au to confirm the promises to the fathers,av 9 and so that Gentilesaw may glorify God for his mercy.a As it is written,

Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and I will sing praise to your name.A,b

10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people!B,c 11 And again,

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

let all the peoples praise him!C,d

12 And again, Isaiah says,

The root of Jessee will appear,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

the Gentiles will hope in him.D,f

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believeg so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.h

FROM JERUSALEM TO ILLYRICUM

14 My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness,i filled with all knowledge,j and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some pointsE because of the grace given me by Godk 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles,l serving as a priest of the gospel of God.m God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering,n sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesuso regarding what pertains to God.p 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through meq by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders,r and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalems all the way around to Illyricum.F,t 20 My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named,u so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,v 21 but, as it is written,

Those who were not told about him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand.G,w

PAUL’S TRAVEL PLANS

22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you.x 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions,H and I have strongly desired for many years to come to youy 24 whenever I travel to Spain.I For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there,z once I have first enjoyed your companyaa for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalemab to serve the saints,ac 26 because Macedoniaad and Achaiaae were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits,af then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the fundsJ to them,K,ag I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessingL of Christ.

30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit,ah to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf.ai 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea,aj that my ministry toM Jerusalemak may be acceptable to the saints,al 32 and that, by God’s will,am I may come to you with joyan and be refreshed together with you.

33 May the God of peace be with all of you.ao Amen.