Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves
1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, v and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. w 3 For even Christ did not please himself. x On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. S,y 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, z so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives T endurance and encouragement a grant you to live in harmony with one another, b according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c with one mind and one voice.
Glorifying God Together
7 Therefore accept one another, d just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised U on behalf of God’s truth, e to confirm the promises to the fathers, f 9 and so that Gentiles g may glorify God for his mercy. h As it is written,
Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praise to your name. V,i
10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people! W,j 11 And again,
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise him! X,k
The root of Jesse l will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in him. Y,m
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe n so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. o
From Jerusalem to Illyricum
14 My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, p filled with all knowledge, q and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points Z because of the grace given me by God r 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, s serving as a priest of the gospel of God. t My purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, u sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus v regarding what pertains to God. w 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me x by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, y and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem z all the way around to Illyricum. A,a 20 My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, b so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, c 21 but, as it is written,
Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand. B,d
Paul’s Travel Plans
22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. e 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, C and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you f 24 whenever I travel to Spain. D For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, g once I have first enjoyed your company h for a while. 25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem i to serve the saints, j 26 because Macedonia k and Achaia l 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, m then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds E to them, F,n 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 blessing G of Christ.
30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, o to strive together with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf. p 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, q that my ministry to H Jerusalem r may be acceptable to the saints, s 32 and that, by God’s will, t I may come to you with joy u and be refreshed together with you.
33 May the God of peace be with all of you. v Amen.