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Romans 15

1Now we who are strong ought to carry the weaknesses of those without strength and not please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The insults of those insulting you fell on me.” 4For whatever was written beforehand was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you the same regard for one another in keeping with Christ Jesus, 6so that with one accord and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

7Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to God's glory. 8For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised for the sake of God's truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for mercy, as it is written, “For this reason I will confess you among the nations and sing to your name.” 10And again it says, “Rejoice, nations, with his people.” 11And again, “Praise the Lord, all the nations, and let all the peoples praise him.” 12And again Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, and the one who rises to rule the nations; in him the nations will hope.” 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may overflow in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

14I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15But I have written to you rather boldly on some points, as a reminder to you, because of the grace given to me by God 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving God's good news as a priest, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus in matters concerning God. 18For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 19by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and around as far as Illyricum I have fulfilled the proclamation of Christ's good news. 20And in this way I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news where Christ has not been named, so that I may not build on someone else's foundation, 21but as it is written, “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

22That is also why I was so often prevented from coming to you. 23But now, having no further place in these regions, and having longed for many years to come to you, 24whenever I travel to Spain—for I hope to see you as I pass through and to be sent on there by you, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while…

25But now I am going to Jerusalem to serve the holy ones. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them; for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they also owe them service in material things. 28So when I have completed this and secured this fruit for them, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of Christ's blessing.

30I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus the Messiah and through the love of the Spirit, to struggle together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31so that I may be rescued from those who disobey in Judea and my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the holy ones, 32so that, coming to you in joy by God's will, I may find rest together with you. 33May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Translation notes 5

15:1–7 — Strength and welcome. “Brothers” includes the community's women. Strength concerns the freedom discussed in chapter 14, not a license to disregard those with scruples. Carrying and building images continue. “Welcome” repeats 14:1, 3. The base reads “welcomed you” at verse 7, where another reading has “us.”

15:8–13 — Promises and nations. “The circumcised” renders the collective circumcision designation. “Fathers” refers to Israel's ancestors. The quotations retain the distinction between the nations and God's people as Paul gives it, without making “nations” mean only modern countries. Jesse's root preserves the royal family image.

15:14–21 — Priestly service. Paul's ministry is described with priestly and offering language; the Gentiles themselves are understood as the offering. “Fulfilled the proclamation” supplies proclamation to express the work carried out with the good news; it does not say every individual in those regions heard Paul. Illyricum is a region along the eastern Adriatic. Verse 19 follows the base's “Spirit,” without adding “Holy” or “of God.”

15:22–29 — Journey and collection. The Greek sentence changes direction while Paul explains his plans; the interrupted construction is retained. Being “sent on” includes the recipients' support, not simply permission to travel. The contribution is called “fruit” in verse 28. “Secured” renders a sealing expression for completing or confirming its delivery, not a claim about a literal wax seal. “Material things” in verse 27 translates things pertaining to the flesh in an ordinary bodily-needs sense.

15:30–33 — Shared struggle. Prayer is pictured as joining Paul's struggle. “Love of the Spirit” can mean love inspired by the Spirit or the Spirit's love. The request that his service be accepted is retained rather than rewritten as though acceptance were already certain. This passage states travel plans, not their subsequent fulfillment.