Accept One Another

1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please the neighbor unto the good, for edification. 3For even Christ did not please Himself, but as it has been written: “The reproaches of those reproaching You have fallen on Me.”a 4For whatever was written in the past was all written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

5Now may the God of endurance and encouragement give you to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6so that with one accord, with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ the Servant of Jews and Gentiles

7Therefore receive one another as Christ also received you, to the glory of God. 8For I declare Christ to have become a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9and for the Gentiles to glorify God for mercy, as it has been written:

“Because of this I will praise You among the Gentiles,

and will I sing to Your name.”b

10And again it says:

“Rejoice you Gentiles, with His people.”c

11And again:

“Praise the Lord, all the Gentiles,

and praise Him, all the peoples.”d

12And again, Isaiah says:

“There will be the root of Jesse,

and the One arising to rule over the Gentiles;

in Him the Gentiles will hope.”e

13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, for you to abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14And I myself also am persuaded concerning you my brothers, that you yourselves are also full of goodness, being filled with all knowledge, and being able to admonish one another. 15But I have written to you more boldly in part, as reminding you, because of the grace having been given to me by God 16for me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, administering the sacred service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, having been sanctified in the Holy Spirit.

17Therefore I have the boasting in Christ Jesus in the things pertaining to God. 18For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me unto the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God, so as for me, from Jerusalem and around unto Illyricum, to have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ, 20and thus being ambitious to preach the gospel where Christ had not been named, so that I might not build upon another’s foundation. 21Rather, as it has been written:

“They will see, to whom it was not proclaimed concerning Him;

and those who have not heard will understand.”f

22Therefore also I have been hindered many times to come to you.

Paul's Travel Plans
(1 Corinthians 16:5-9)

23But now, no longer having a place in these regions, and having had a great desire for many years to come to you, 24whenever I may go to Spain, I hope indeed, going through, to see you and to be equipped there by you, if first I should be filled of you in part.

25But now I am going to Jerusalem, ministering to the saints. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27For they were pleased, and they are debtors of them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to minister to them in the material things.

28Therefore having finished this, and having sealed this fruit to them, I will set off through you into Spain. 29Now I know that coming to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessingg of Christ.

30Now I exhort you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me to God, 31so that I may be delivered from those refusing to be persuaded in Judea, and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32so that having come to you in joy, by the will of God I may be refreshed with you.

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