15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
15:2 Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
15:3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
15:6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs
15:9 so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.”
15:10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
15:11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.”
15:12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.”
15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
15:15 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me
15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
15:17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
15:18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done–
15:19 by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
15:20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
15:21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
15:22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
15:23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you,
15:24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
15:25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there.
15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
15:27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
15:28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.
15:29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
15:30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
15:31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there,
15:32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.
15:33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
15:1 But we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are weak and not to please ourselves.
15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor with a view to what is good for building up.
15:3 For Christ also did not please Himself, but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached You fell upon Me.
15:4 For the things that were written previously were written for our instruction, in order that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
15:5 Now the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind toward one another according to Christ Jesus,
15:6 That with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:7 Therefore receive one another, as Christ also received you to the glory of God.
15:8 For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcision for the sake of God s truthfulness, to confirm the promises given to the fathers,
15:9 And that the Gentiles should glorify God for His mercy, as it is written, Therefore I will extol You among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to Your name.
15:10 And again he says, Rejoice, Gentiles, with His people.
15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples speak praise to Him.
15:12 And again, Isaiah says, There shall be the root of Jesse, even He who rises to rule the Gentiles; on Him will the Gentiles hope.
15:13 Now 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.
15:14 But I myself also am persuaded concerning you, my brothers, that you yourselves also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
15:15 But I have written the more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you of them again because of the grace given to me by God
15:16 That I might be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, a laboring priest of the gospel of God, in order that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, having been sanctified in the Holy Spirit.
15:17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in the things pertaining to God.
15:18 For I will not dare to speak anything of the things which Christ has not accomplished through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and by work,
15:19 In the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ,
15:20 But have done so aspiring to announce the gospel not where Christ has been named, so that I would not build upon another s foundation;
15:21 But as it is written, They will see, they to whom nothing concerning Him was announced; and those who have not heard will understand.
15:22 For this reason also I have been hindered these many times from coming to you.
15:23 But now I no longer have place in these regions and have had a desire since many years ago to come to you
15:24 Whenever I may go to Spain, for I hope to see you in passing and be sent forward there by you, if first I am filled, at least in part, by your company.
15:25 But now I am going to Jerusalem, ministering to the saints.
15:26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
15:27 For they were pleased to do it, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to do service to them in material things.
15:28 When therefore I have finished this and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
15:29 And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
15:30 Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
15:31 That I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
15:32 So that coming to you in joy through the will of God, I may refresh myself and rest with you.
15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.