Romans 15
Legacy Standard Bible
Bearing the Weaknesses of Others
15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of (A)those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Each of us is to (B)please his neighbor [a]for his good, to his (C)building up. 3 For even (D)Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “(E)The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For (F)whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the (G)God of perseverance and encouragement grant you (H)to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one accord you may with one [b]voice glorify (I)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Christ, the Hope of Jews and Gentiles
7 Therefore, (J)accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [c]us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to (K)the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm (L)the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for (M)the Gentiles to (N)glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
10 And again he says,
“(P)Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”
11 And again,
12 And again Isaiah says,
“(R)There shall come (S)the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
(T)In Him shall the Gentiles hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all (U)joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope (V)by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Ministry Plans
14 But I myself am also convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of (W)goodness, having been filled with (X)all knowledge and being able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of (Y)the grace that was given me [f]by God 16 for me to be (Z)a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the (AA)gospel of God, so that my (AB)offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have (AC)reason for boasting in (AD)things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not be bold to speak of anything [g]except what (AE)Christ has brought about through me, [h]leading to the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of [i](AF)signs and wonders, (AG)in the power of the Spirit; so that (AH)from Jerusalem and all around as (AI)far as Illyricum I have [j]fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And in this way I make it my ambition to (AJ)proclaim the gospel, not where Christ was already named, (AK)so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but as it is written,
“(AL)They who had no declaration of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard shall understand.”
22 For this reason (AM)I have often been prevented from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I (AN)have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I (AO)go to Spain—for I hope, passing through, to see you, and to be (AP)helped on my way there by you, when I have first (AQ)enjoyed your company [k]for a while. 25 But now (AR)I am going to Jerusalem to (AS)serve the [l]saints. 26 For (AT)Macedonia and (AU)Achaia were pleased to [m]share with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For (AV)if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have completed this and (AW)have [n]put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will (AX)go on by way of you to Spain. 29 And I know that when (AY)I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by (AZ)the love of the Spirit, to (BA)strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be (BB)rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my (BC)service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the [o](BD)saints; 32 so that (BE)I may come to you in joy by (BF)the will of God and find rest in your company. 33 Now may (BG)the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Footnotes
- Romans 15:2 Lit for what is good to edification
- Romans 15:6 Lit mouth
- Romans 15:7 One early ms you
- Romans 15:9 Or confess
- Romans 15:11 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ps 117:1
- Romans 15:15 Some early mss from
- Romans 15:18 Lit which Christ has not accomplished
- Romans 15:18 Lit to the obedience
- Romans 15:19 Or attesting miracles
- Romans 15:19 Lit fulfilled
- Romans 15:24 Lit in part
- Romans 15:25 Or holy ones
- Romans 15:26 Lit make fellowship
- Romans 15:28 Lit sealed to them this fruit
- Romans 15:31 Or holy ones
Romans 15
GOD’S WORD Translation
15 So those of us who have a strong ⌞faith⌟ must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose ⌞faith⌟ is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves. 2 We should all be concerned about our neighbor and the good things that will build his faith. 3 Christ did not think only of himself. Rather, as Scripture says, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
God Gives Us Unity
4 Everything written long ago was written to teach us so that we would have confidence through the endurance and encouragement which the Scriptures give us. 5 May God, who gives you this endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other by following the example of Christ Jesus. 6 Then, having the same goal, you will praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore, accept each other in the same way that Christ accepted you. He did this to bring glory to God. 8 Let me explain. Christ became a servant for the Jewish people to reveal God’s truth. As a result, he fulfilled God’s promise to the ancestors of the Jewish people. 9 People who are not Jewish praise God for his mercy as well. This is what the Scriptures say,
“That is why I will give thanks to you among the nations
and I will sing praises to your name.”
10 And Scripture says again,
“You nations, be happy together with his people!”
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Praise him, all you people of the world!”
12 Again, Isaiah says,
“There will be a root from Jesse.
He will rise to rule the nations,
and he will give the nations hope.”
13 May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him. Then you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Desire to Tell the Good News to the World
14 I’m convinced, brothers and sisters, that you, too, are filled with goodness. I’m also convinced that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to instruct each other. 15 However, I’ve written you a letter, parts of which are rather bold, as a reminder to you. I’m doing this because God gave me the gift 16 to be a servant of Christ Jesus to people who are not Jewish. I serve as a priest by spreading the Good News of God. I do this in order that I might bring the nations to God as an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17 So Christ Jesus gives me the right to brag about what I’m doing for God. 18 I’m bold enough to tell you only what Christ has done through me to bring people who are not Jewish to obedience. By what I have said and done, 19 by the power of miraculous and amazing signs, and by the power of God’s Spirit, I have finished spreading the Good News about Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum.
20 My goal was to spread the Good News where the name of Christ was not known. I didn’t want to build on a foundation which others had laid. 21 As Scripture says,
“Those who were never told about him will see,
and those who never heard will understand.”
22 This is what has so often kept me from visiting you. 23 But now I have no new opportunities for work in this region. For many years I have wanted to visit you. 24 Now I am on my way to Spain, so I hope to see you when I come your way. After I have enjoyed your company for a while, I hope that you will support my trip to Spain.
25 Right now I’m going to Jerusalem to bring help to the Christians there. 26 Because the believers in Macedonia and Greece owe a debt to the Christians in Jerusalem, they have decided to take up a collection for the poor among the Christians in Jerusalem. 27 These Macedonians and Greeks have shared the spiritual wealth of the Christians in Jerusalem. So they are obligated to use their earthly wealth to help them.
28 When the collection is completed and I have officially turned the money over to the Christians in Jerusalem, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you I will bring the full blessing of Christ.
30 Brothers and sisters, I encourage you through our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit creates, to join me in my struggle. Pray to God for me 31 that I will be rescued from those people in Judea who refuse to believe. Pray that God’s people in Jerusalem will accept the help I bring. 32 Also pray that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and be refreshed when I am with you.
33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Romans 15
King James Version
15 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.
10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.
11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,
16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,
19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.
23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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