1 s[Gal. 6:1] We who are strongt1 Thess. 5:14; See ch. 14:1 have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 u1 Cor. 10:33; [1 Cor. 9:19, 22; 10:24; Phil. 2:4] Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 ForvPhil. 2:5, 8; [John 5:30; 6:38] Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,wCited from Ps. 69:9 “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. ” 4 Forxch. 4:23 whatever was written in former days was written for oury2 Tim. 3:16 instruction, that through endurance and throughzPs. 119:50 the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant youaSee ch. 12:16 to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorifyb2 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:3; [John 20:17; Eph. 1:17; Rev. 1:6] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
8 For I tell you that ChristcMatt. 15:24; John 1:11; [Heb. 3:1]; See Acts 3:26 became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in orderd[ch. 4:16; 2 Cor. 1:20] to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,
9 and in ordereSee ch. 3:29 that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
fCited from 2 Sam. 22:50; Ps. 18:49 “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and sing to your name. ”
10 And again it is said,
gCited from Deut. 32:43 “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people. ”
11 And again,
hCited from Ps. 117:1 “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples extol him. ”
12 And again Isaiah says,
iCited from Isa. 11:10,jIsa. 11:1; [Rev. 5:5; 22:16] “The root of Jesse will come,
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
kMatt. 12:21 in him will the Gentiles hope. ”
13 May the God of hope fill you with alll[ch. 5:1, 2; 14:17] joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
14 m[2 Pet. 1:12; 3:1; 1 John 2:21] I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled withn1 Cor. 1:5; 13:2; [1 Cor. 8:1, 7, 10; 12:8] all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder,oSee ch. 1:5 because of the grace given me by God
16 to bepSee ch. 11:13 a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentilesq[Mal. 1:11] in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so thatrIsa. 66:20; [Phil. 2:17] the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 In Christ Jesus, then, I havesPhil. 3:3 reason to be proud oftHeb. 2:17; 5:1 my work for God.
18 For I will not venture to speak of anything exceptuActs 15:12; 21:19; Gal. 2:8 what Christ has accomplished through mevSee ch. 1:5 to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,
19 w2 Cor. 12:12; [Acts 19:11] by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so thatxActs 22:17-21 from Jerusalem and all the way aroundy[Acts 20:1, 2] to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named,z[2 Cor. 10:13, 15, 16] lest I build on someone else's foundation,
21 but as it is written,
aCited from Isa. 52:15 “Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand. ”
22 This is the reason whybch. 1:13; [1 Thess. 2:18] I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, andcver. 29, 32; ch. 1:10, 11; Acts 19:21 since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I godver. 28 to Spain, andeSee Acts 15:3 to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however,fActs 19:21; 20:22; 21:15; 24:17; [ver. 31] I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 Forg1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1; 9:2, 13 Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeedh1 Cor. 9:11; [Gal. 6:6] they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leaveiver. 24 for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and byj[Phil. 2:1; Col. 1:8] the love of the Spirit,kCol. 4:12; [2 Cor. 1:11; Col. 2:1, 2; Heb. 13:18] to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 l2 Thess. 3:2; [2 Tim. 3:11; 4:17] that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and thatm2 Cor. 8:4 my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy andn[1 Cor. 16:18; 2 Cor. 7:13; Philem. 7, 20] be refreshed in your company. 33 Mayoch. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 13:20; [1 Cor. 14:33; 2 Thess. 3:16] the God of peace be with you all. Amen.