Romans 15

¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.

¹Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

¹Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

²Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

²²To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.

²²On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,

²³and the parts we consider less honorable, we treat with greater honor. And our unpresentable parts are treated with special modesty,

¹⁴I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

²⁴No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.

¹⁹So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

³³as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.

¹⁹Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law.

⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.

⁹because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

³⁰I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

⁵⁰Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my heart from so many people—

⁵¹how Your enemies have taunted, O Lord, and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!

³⁴Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

¹¹Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

¹⁷so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

²³Now the words “it was credited to him” were written not only for Abraham,

²⁴but also for us, to whom righteousness will be credited—for us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

²⁰Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation.

²¹For no such prophecy was ever brought forth by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

³⁵So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.

³⁶You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

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

⁸Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.

²and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited.

¹¹Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

²⁹My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

³⁰I and the Father are one.”

²⁴When the believers heard this, they lifted up their voices to God with one accord. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

⁶who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

³¹The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy of praise, knows that I am not lying.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

⁴⁰He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives the One who sent Me.

³⁴A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.

¹Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

²For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.

²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

⁴⁸And He said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes the One who sent Me. For whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.”

³⁷“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes not only Me, but the One who sent Me.”

⁴But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

⁵to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons.

²⁴He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

²⁰For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.

¹¹He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

²⁵And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’

²⁶When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.

⁵⁰Therefore I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

⁴⁹Therefore I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to Your name.

²⁹Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

⁸When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

³Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.

⁴Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Selah

⁴³Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries and repay those who hate Him; He will cleanse His land and His people.

¹⁰Sing to the Lord a new song—His praise from the ends of the earth—you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who dwell in them.

¹¹Let the desert and its cities raise their voices; let the villages of Kedar cry aloud. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them cry out from the mountaintops.

⁴All the kings of the earth will give You thanks, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth.

⁵They will sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great.

³²Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord—Selah

¹⁴They raise their voices, they shout for joy; from the west they proclaim the majesty of the Lord.

¹⁵Therefore glorify the Lord in the east. Extol the name of the Lord, the God of Israel in the islands of the sea.

¹Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol Him, all you peoples!

¹⁰On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.

¹Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.

²¹In His name the nations will put their hope.”

¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”

⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

¹⁹If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men.

¹⁶Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who by grace has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope,

¹⁷encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good word and deed.

¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

¹“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well.

¹⁶Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

¹²Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.

²¹I have not written to you because you lack knowledge of the truth, but because you have it, and because no lie comes from the truth.

¹Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

⁷But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.

¹¹Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.

³For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

¹⁰But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not in vain. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

⁵Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

⁶We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;

¹⁰As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

¹¹If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

¹⁵Consider also that our Lord’s patience brings salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom God gave him.

¹³I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry

¹Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God—

¹⁵“Go!” said the Lord. “This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings, and before the people of Israel.

¹¹to which I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher.

¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

¹¹that agrees with the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.

¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

¹⁵For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

¹¹I have become a fool, but you drove me to it. In fact, you should have commended me, since I am in no way inferior to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.

¹²The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

⁴Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride in you; I am filled with encouragement; in all our troubles my joy overflows.

¹Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

³For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

¹I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to gain, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

¹²The whole assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describing the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.

⁵Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

¹⁹Paul greeted them and recounted one by one the things that God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

¹⁴Like clouds and wind without rain is the man who boasts of gifts never given.

⁸For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.

²⁶but now revealed and made known through the writings of the prophets by the command of the eternal God, in order to lead all nations to the obedience that comes from faith—

¹²The marks of a true apostle—signs, wonders, and miracles—were performed among you with great perseverance.

⁴and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

⁵Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

¹¹God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,

¹²so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.

¹⁷But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed, and all the Gentiles would hear it. So I was delivered from the mouth of the lion.

⁶And after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we sailed from Philippi, and five days later we rejoined them in Troas, where we stayed seven days.

¹³We, however, will not boast beyond our limits, but only within the field of influence that God has assigned to us—a field that reaches even to you.

¹⁴We are not overstepping our bounds, as if we had not come to you. Indeed, we were the first to reach you with the gospel of Christ.

⁹For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

¹⁰By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds.

²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.

²¹In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

¹⁵so He will sprinkle many nations. Kings will shut their mouths because of Him. For they will see what they have not been told, and they will understand what they have not heard.

¹“I revealed Myself to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me. To a nation that did not call My name, I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’

¹³I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, how often I planned to come to you (but have been prevented from visiting until now), in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

¹⁷Brothers, although we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in heart), our desire to see you face to face was even more intense.

¹⁸For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

³²so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

¹⁰in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

¹¹For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

²¹After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”

¹⁰Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith.

⁴Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.

²⁸So after I have completed this service and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set off to Spain by way of you.

¹²that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

³Sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, recounting the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy to all the brothers.

¹⁶I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to return to you from Macedonia, and then to have you help me on my way to Judea.

⁵But when our time there had ended, we set out on our journey. All the disciples, with their wives and children, accompanied us out of the city and knelt down on the beach to pray with us.

⁵After I go through Macedonia, however, I will come to you; for I will be going through Macedonia.

⁶Perhaps I will stay with you awhile, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go.

¹⁷After several years, then, I returned to Jerusalem to bring alms to my people and to present offerings.

²¹After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”

²²And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.

¹⁶Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, because he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

¹Now about the collection for the saints, you are to do as I directed the churches of Galatia:

²On the first day of every week, each of you should set aside a portion of his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will be needed.

²¹But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

¹Now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the churches of Macedonia.

²In the terrible ordeal they suffered, their abundant joy and deep poverty overflowed into rich generosity.

²⁷In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.

²⁸One of them named Agabus stood up and predicted through the Spirit that a great famine would sweep across the whole world. (This happened under Claudius.)

²For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting to the Macedonians that since last year you in Achaia were prepared to give. And your zeal has stirred most of them to do likewise.

⁵Listen, my beloved brothers: Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?

⁶But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?

¹²For this ministry of service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanksgiving to God.

⁷So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, especially the afflicted of the flock. Then I took for myself two staffs, calling one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock.

⁶Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.

¹¹If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much for us to reap a material harvest from you?

¹⁹I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

¹⁷Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,

²⁴I hope to see you on my way to Spain. And after I have enjoyed your company for a while, you can equip me for my journey.

¹⁷Not that I am seeking a gift, but I am looking for the fruit that may be credited to your account.

⁶that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood the grace of God.

²¹Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the Lord will prevail.

³⁷Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?

¹³Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

¹⁴You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.

¹⁰in my prayers at all times, asking that now at last by God’s will I may succeed in coming to you.

¹¹For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you,

¹¹You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

¹⁹of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁶I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.

¹²Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in the full will of God.

¹¹as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the favor shown us in answer to their prayers.

²⁵Brothers, pray for us as well.

¹¹For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body.

¹Therefore if you have any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

¹Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may spread quickly and be held in honor, just as it was with you.

²And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not everyone holds to the faith.

⁴they earnestly pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.

²⁵Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there.

¹Now about the service to the saints, there is no need for me to write to you.

¹⁷When we arrived in Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us joyfully.

¹⁸The next day Paul went in with us to see James, and all the elders were present.

²where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus

¹⁸For they refreshed my spirit and yours as well. Show your appreciation, therefore, to such men.

²¹But as he left, he said, “I will come back to you if God is willing.” And he set sail from Ephesus.

⁷I take great joy and encouragement in your love, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.

²⁰Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.

¹³On account of this, we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were even more delighted by the joy of Titus. For his spirit has been refreshed by all of you.

¹⁶May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.

¹¹Finally, brothers, rejoice! Aim for perfect harmony, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

²³Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁰The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

²⁰Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,

¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.