Romans 15
15
1We who are strong should accommodate those who are weak and not please only ourselves. 2Each of us should please our neighbors for their good in order to build them up. 3Even Christ did not please himself. It is written, “The bad things people have said about you have also been aimed at me.” 4Everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that we would have hope both through the endurance the Scriptures teach and through the encouragement they provide.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had. 6Then with one mind and voice you will give glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Christ has accepted you, so accept one another in order to bring praise to God. 8I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the founders of our nation would be confirmed. 9He also did this so that the Gentiles would give glory to God for his mercy. It is written,
“I will praise you among the Gentiles.
I will sing the praises of your name.”
10Again it says,
“You Gentiles, rejoice
together with God’s people.”
11And again it says,
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the nations sing praises to him.”
12And Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse will grow up quickly.
He will rule over the nations,
and the Gentiles will put their hope in him.”
13May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy and peace as you trust in him, and may you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul Serves the Gentiles
14My brothers and sisters, I’m sure that you are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and able to teach one another. 15But I’ve written to you very boldly about some things to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to serve Christ Jesus among the Gentiles. I’m like a priest of the good news, and I want the Gentiles to be an offering that pleases God because it has been made holy by the Holy Spirit.
17Thanks to Christ Jesus, I can take pride in the work I’ve done for God. 18I don’t dare to speak about anything except what Christ has done through me. He has been leading the Gentiles to obey God through what I have said and done, 19through the power of signs and wonders, and through the power of the Spirit of God. I have now preached the good news about Christ to everyone from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. 20I’ve always wanted to preach the good news where Christ is not known. I don’t want to build on someone else’s foundation. 21Instead, as it is written,
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”
22That’s why I have often been kept from coming to you.
Paul Plans to Visit Rome
23But now that there isn’t anywhere else for me to work in these areas, and since I’ve been wanting to visit you for many years, 24I plan to see you when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you on my way there, and I hope you’ll help me get the rest of the way once we’ve had a good visit together. 25But right now I’m heading to Jerusalem to serve the Lord’s people there. 26The believers in Macedonia and Achaia have kindly taken an offering to help the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. 27They were glad to do it, and it acknowledges their debt of gratitude. After all, if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they should also share their own earthly blessings with the Jews. 28So first I’m going to finish this task and make sure that the poor in Jerusalem receive this offering, and then I’ll go to Spain and visit you on my way. 29I know that when I come, I’ll be bringing the full blessing of Christ to you.
30I ask you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Holy Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31Pray that I’ll be kept safe from those in Judea who do not believe. And pray that the offering I’m taking to Jerusalem will be well received by the Lord’s people there. 32That way, I’ll be full of joy when come to you, if that’s God’s will, and we’ll have a refreshing time together. 33May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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Romans 15: RAD
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