ROMANS 15 [†] s We who are strong  t have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 u Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For  v Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,  w “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4[†]For  x whatever was written in former days was written for our  y instruction, that through endurance and through  z the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you  a to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify  b 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 Christ  c became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order  d to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9[†]and in order  e that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

 f “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.”

10And again it is said,

 g “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11And again,

 h “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples extol him.”

12And again Isaiah says,

 i  j “The root of Jesse will come,

even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

 k in him will the Gentiles hope.”

13[†]May the God of hope fill you with all  l joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

14[†] m I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, [1] that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with  n all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder,  o because of the grace given me by God 16[†]to be  p a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles  q in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that  r the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17[†]In Christ Jesus, then, I have  s reason to be proud of  t my work for God. 18[†]For I will not venture to speak of anything except  u what Christ has accomplished through me  v to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19[†] w by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that  x from Jerusalem and all the way around  y 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 lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21but as it is written,

 a “Those who have never been told of him will see,

and those who have never heard will understand.”

22[†]This is the reason why  b 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, and  c since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24I hope to see you in passing as I go  d to Spain, and  e to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25[†]At present, however,  f I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26[†]For  g Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27[†]For they were pleased to do it, and indeed  h 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, [2] I will leave  i for Spain by way of you. 29I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing [3] of Christ.

30I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by  j the love of the Spirit,  k to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31[†] l that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that  m my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32[†]so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and  n be refreshed in your company. 33May  o the God of peace be with you all. Amen.