Epistle to the Romans - The New Testament

¹ It is for us who are strong to bear with the susceptibilities of the weaker ones, and not please ourselves.

² Each of us must consider his neighbour's good, so that we support one another.

³ Christ did not indulge his own feelings, either; indeed, as scripture says: The insults of those who insult you fall on me.

⁴ And all these things which were written so long ago were written so that we, learning perseverance and the encouragement which the scriptures give, should have hope.

⁵ Now the God of perseverance and encouragement give you all the same purpose, following the example of Christ Jesus,

⁶ so that you may together give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart.

⁷ Accept one another, then, for the sake of God's glory, as Christ accepted you.

⁸ I tell you that Christ's work was to serve the circumcised, fulfilling the truthfulness of God by carrying out the promises made to the fathers,

⁹ and his work was also for the gentiles, so that they should give glory to God for his faithful love; as scripture says: For this I shall praise you among the nations and sing praise to your name.

¹⁰ And in another place it says: Nations, rejoice, with his people,

¹¹ and in another place again: Praise the Lord, all nations, extol him, all peoples.

¹² And in Isaiah, it says: The root of Jesse will appear, he who rises up to rule the nations, and in him the nations will put their hope.

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in your faith, so that in the power of the Holy Spirit you may be rich in hope.

¹⁴ My brothers, I am quite sure that you, in particular, are full of goodness, fully instructed and capable of correcting each other.

¹⁵ But I have special confidence in writing on some points to you, to refresh your memories, because of the grace that was given to me by God.

¹⁶ I was given grace to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles, dedicated to offer them the gospel of God, so that gentiles might become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ So I can be proud, in Christ Jesus, of what I have done for God.

¹⁸ Of course I can dare to speak only of the things which Christ has done through me to win the allegiance of the gentiles, using what I have said and done,

¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. In this way, from Jerusalem and all round, even as far as Illyricum, I have fully carried out the preaching of the gospel of Christ;

²⁰ and what is more, it has been my rule to preach the gospel only where the name of Christ has not already been heard, for I do not build on another's foundations;

²¹ in accordance with scripture: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.

²² That is why I have been so often prevented from coming to see you;

²³ now, however, as there is nothing more to keep me in these parts, I hope, after longing for many years past to visit you, to see you when I am on the way to Spain-

²⁴ and after enjoying at least something of your company, to be sent on my way with your support.

²⁵ But now I have undertaken to go to Jerusalem in the service of the holy people of God there,

²⁶ since Macedonia and Achaia have chosen to make a generous contribution to the poor among God's holy people at Jerusalem.

²⁷ Yes, they chose to; not that they did not owe it to them. For if the gentiles have been given a share in their spiritual possessions, then in return to give them help with material possessions is repaying a debt to them.

²⁸ So when I have done this, and given this harvest into their possession, I shall visit you on the way to Spain.

²⁹ I am sure that, when I do come to you, I shall come with the fullest blessing of Christ.

³⁰ Meanwhile I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that in your prayers to God for me you exert yourselves to help me;

³¹ praying that I may escape the unbelievers in Judaea, and that the aid I am carrying to Jerusalem will be acceptable to God's holy people.

³² Then I shall come to you, if God wills, for a happy time of relaxation in your company.

³³ The God of peace be with you all. Amen.