Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

1Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. 4For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

Glorifying God Together

7Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and I will sing praise to your name.

10Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people! 11And again,

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

let all the peoples praise him!

12And again, Isaiah says,

The root of Jesse will appear,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

the Gentiles will hope in him.

13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

14My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God. 18For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum. 20My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, 21but, as it is written,

Those who were not told about him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand.

Paul’s Travel Plans

22That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you 24whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while. 25Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints, 26because Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs. 28So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf. 31Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

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