Letter to the Romans 15

¹ We who are strong have a duty to put up with the qualms of the weak without thinking of ourselves.

² Each of us should think of his neighbours and help them to become stronger Christians.

³ Christ did not think of himself: the words of scripture – the insults of those who insult you fall on me[*a] – apply to him.

⁴ And indeed everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God.

⁵ And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus,

⁶ so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ It can only be to God’s glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you.

⁸ The reason Christ became the servant of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the promises made to the patriarchs,

⁹ it was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place: For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing to your name.[*b]

¹⁰ And in another place: Rejoice, pagans, with his people,[*c]

¹¹ and in a third place: Let all the pagans praise the Lord, let all the peoples sing his praises.[*d]

¹² Isaiah too has this to say: The root of Jesse will appear, rising up to rule the pagans and in him the pagans will put their hope.[*e]

¹³ May the God of hope bring you such joy and peace in your faith that the power of the Holy Spirit will remove all bounds to hope.

¹⁴ It is not because I have any doubts about you, my brothers; on the contrary I am quite certain that you are full of good intentions, perfectly well instructed and able to advise each other.

¹⁵ The reason why I have written to you, and put some things rather strongly, is to refresh your memories, since God has given me this special position.

¹⁶ He has appointed me as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am to carry out my priestly duty by bringing the Good News from God to the pagans, and so make them acceptable as an offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ I think I have some reason to be proud of what I, in union with Christ Jesus, have been able to do for God.

¹⁸ What I am presuming to speak of, of course, is only what Christ himself has done to win the allegiance of the pagans, using what I have said and done

¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus all the way along, from Jerusalem to Illyricum,[*f] I have preached Christ’s Good News to the utmost of my capacity.

²⁰ I have always, however, made it an unbroken rule never to preach where Christ’s name has already been heard. The reason for that was that I had no wish to build on other men’s foundations;

²¹ on the contrary, my chief concern has been to fulfil the text: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.[*g]

²² That is the reason why I have been kept from visiting you so long,

²³ though for many years I have been longing to pay you a visit. Now, however, having no more work to do here,

²⁴ I hope to see you on my way to Spain and, after enjoying a little of your company, to complete the rest of the journey with your good wishes.

²⁵ First, however, I must take a present of money to the saints in Jerusalem,

²⁶ since Macedonia and Achaia have decided to send a generous contribution to the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.

²⁷ A generous contribution as it should be, since it is really repaying a debt: the pagans who share the spiritual possessions of these poor people have a duty to help them with temporal possessions.

²⁸ So when I have done this and officially handed over what has been raised, I shall set out for Spain and visit you on the way.

²⁹ I know that when I reach you I shall arrive with rich blessings from Christ.

³⁰ But I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of the Spirit, to help me through my dangers by praying to God for me.

³¹ Pray that I may escape the unbelievers in Judaea, and that the aid I carry to Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints.

³² Then, if God wills, I shall be feeling very happy when I come to enjoy a period of rest among you.

³³ May the God of peace be with you all! Amen.