Romans 15

1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

As for us who are strong, our duty is to bear with the weaknesses of those who are not strong, and not seek our own pleasure.

2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

Let each of us endeavour to please his fellow Christian, aiming at a blessing calculated to build him up.

3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

For even the Christ did not seek His own pleasure. His principle was, "The reproaches which they addressed to Thee have fallen on me."

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

For all that was written of old has been written for our instruction, so that we may always have hope through the power of endurance and the encouragement which the Scriptures afford.

5 Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,

And may God, the giver of power of endurance and of that encouragement, grant you to be in full sympathy with one another in accordance with the example of Christ Jesus,

6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

so that with oneness both of heart and voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

Habitually therefore give one another a friendly reception, just as Christ also has received you, and thus promote the glory of God.

8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

My meaning is that Christ has become a servant to the people of Israel in vindication of God's truthfulness-- in showing how sure are the promises made to our forefathers--

9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.”

and that the Gentiles also have glorified God in acknowledgment of His mercy. So it is written, "For this reason I will praise Thee among the Gentiles, and sing psalms in honour of Thy name."

10 Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

And again the Psalmist says, "Be glad, ye Gentiles, in company with His People."

11 Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

And again, "Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and let all the people extol Him."

12 Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

And again Isaiah says, "There shall be the Root of Jesse and One who rises up to rule the Gentiles. On Him shall the Gentiles build their hopes."

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

May God, the giver of hope, fill you with continual joy and peace because you trust in Him--so that you may have abundant hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

But as to you, brethren, I am convinced-- yes, I Paul am convinced--that, even apart from my teaching, you are already full of goodness of heart, and enriched with complete Christian knowledge, and are also competent to instruct one another.

15 But I write the more boldly to you in part as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,

But I write to you the more boldly--partly as reminding you of what you already know--because of the authority graciously entrusted to me by God,

16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus among the Gentiles, doing priestly duties in connexion with God's Good News so that the sacrifice--namely the Gentiles--may be acceptable to Him, being (as it is) an offering which the Holy Spirit has made holy.

17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

I can therefore glory in Christ Jesus concerning the work for God in which I am engaged.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

For I will not presume to mention any of the results that Christ has brought about by other agency than mine in securing the obedience of the Gentiles by word or deed,

19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

with power manifested in signs and marvels, and through the power of the Holy Spirit. But--to speak simply of my own labours--beginning in Jerusalem and the outlying districts, I have proclaimed without reserve, even as far as Illyricum, the Good News of the Christ;

20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

making it my ambition, however, not to tell the Good News where Christ's name was already known, for fear I should be building on another man's foundation.

21 But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”

But, as Scripture says, "Those shall see, to whom no report about Him has hitherto come, and those who until now have not heard shall understand."

22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

And it is really this which has again and again prevented my coming to you.

23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

But now, as there is no more unoccupied ground in this part of the world, and I have for years past been eager to pay you a visit,

24 whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

I hope, as soon as ever I extend my travels into Spain, to see you on my way and be helped forward by you on my journey, when I have first enjoyed being with you for a time.

25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

But at present I am going to Jerusalem to serve God's people,

26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

for Macedonia and Greece have kindly contributed a certain sum in relief of the poor among God's people, in Jerusalem.

27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things.

Yes, they have kindly done this, and, in fact, it was a debt they owed them. For seeing that the Gentiles have been admitted in to partnership with the Jews in their spiritual blessings, they in turn are under an obligation to render sacred service to the Jews in temporal things.

28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

So after discharging this duty, and making sure that these kind gifts reach those for whom they are intended, I shall start for Spain, passing through Rome on my way there;

29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

and I know that when I come to you it will be with a vast amount of blessing from Christ.

30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

But I entreat you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love which His Spirit inspires, to help me by wrestling in prayer to God on my behalf,

31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,

asking that I may escape unhurt from those in Judaea who are disobedient, and that the service which I am going to Jerusalem to render may be well received by the Church there,

32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

in order that if God be willing I may come to you with a glad heart, and may enjoy a time of rest with you.

33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

May God, who gives peace be with you all! Amen.