Romans 15

15 ¹We who are strong must carry the weaknesses of the weak, and not please ourselves. ²Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³For even Christ did not please himself; as it is written, "Insults of those insulting you fell on me." ⁴Everything written before was written to teach us, so that through endurance and through Scripture's encouragement we might have hope. ⁵May our Father, who gives endurance and encouragement, give you harmony with each other, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶so that together, with one voice, you glorify our Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷Therefore welcome one another, as Christ also welcomed you, for the glory of our Father. ⁸For I tell you Christ became a servant to the circumcised, to show our Father's truthfulness and confirm the promises to the ancestors, ⁹and that the nations might glorify our Father for his mercy, as it is written, "Therefore I will praise you among the nations, and sing to your name."

¹⁰And again it says, "Rejoice, nations, with his people."

¹¹And again, "Praise our Father, all you nations, and let all the peoples praise him." ^a a v11 This line quotes a psalm calling every nation on earth to praise the One whom FHB names throughout as our Father.

¹²Again Isaiah says: "Jesse's root will come, rising to rule the nations; the nations will hope in him."

¹³May our Father, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace through faith, so by the Holy Spirit's power you overflow with hope. ^b b v13 Joy and peace don't come from exhausting effort. They come "in believing" — by resting in what our Father has promised.

The Father's Grace on Paul's Mission

¹⁴I'm convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. ¹⁵But I've written to you rather boldly on some points, reminding you, because of the grace our Father gave me, ¹⁶to be Christ Jesus's minister to the nations, a priest of our Father's gospel, so the nations' offering would be acceptable, made holy by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for our Father. ¹⁸For I will not dare speak of anything except what Christ has done through me to bring the nations to obedience, by word and deed. ¹⁹By the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of our Father, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. ²⁰So I make it my aim to preach the gospel where Christ hasn't been named, so I wouldn't build on someone else's foundation, ²¹but as it is written: "those never told about him will see, and those who haven't heard will understand."

²²This is why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.

Paul's Plans to Visit Rome

²³But now, with no more room to work in these regions, and having longed for many years to come to you, ²⁴I hope to see you in passing on my way to Spain, and have you send me on my way there, once I've enjoyed your company for a while. ²⁵But for now I am going to Jerusalem, bringing aid to our Father's people. ²⁶Macedonia and Achaia gladly made a contribution for the poor among our Father's people in Jerusalem. ²⁷They were glad to do it, and indeed they owe it. For since the nations shared in Israel's spiritual blessings, the nations owe Jerusalem's people material support in return. ²⁸So after finishing this and safely delivering this collection to them, I'll leave for Spain through you. ²⁹I know that coming to you, I'll come with Christ's full blessing.

³⁰Brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit's love, I urge you to strive together with me in your prayers to our Father for me, ³¹that I may be rescued from Judea's unbelievers, and my service for Jerusalem may please our Father's people, ³²so that, by our Father's will, I may come to you with joy and rest together with you. ³³May our Father, the source of peace, be with you all. Amen.