Please Others, Not Yourselves

1Now we who are strong ought to be patient with the weaknesses of those who are not strong and must stop pleasing ourselves. 2Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building him up. 3For even the Messiaha did not please himself. Instead, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”b 4For everything that was written long ago was written to instruct us, so that we might have hope through the endurance and encouragement that the Scriptures give us.c

5Now may God, the source of endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other as you follow the Messiahd Jesus,e 6so that with one mind and one voice you might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.f

7Therefore, accept one another, just as the Messiahg accepted you,h for the glory of God. 8For I tell you that the Messiahi became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth in order to confirm the promises given to our ancestors, 9so that the gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“That is why I will praisej you among the gentiles;

I will sing praises to your name.”k

10Again he says,l

“Rejoice, you gentiles, with his people!”m

11And again,

“Praise the Lord,n all you gentiles!

Let all the nationso praise him.”p

12And again, Isaiah says,

“There will be a Rootq from Jesse.

He will rise up to rule the gentiles,

and the gentiles will hope in him.”r

13Now may God, the source 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.

Paul’s Desire to Take the Gospel to the Whole World

14I myself am convinced,s my brothers, that you yourselves are filled with goodness and full of all the knowledge you need to be able to instruct each other. 15However, on some points I have written to you rather boldly, both as a reminder to you and because of the grace given me by God 16to be a minister of the Messiaht Jesus to the gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering brought by gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17Therefore, in the Messiahu Jesus I have the right to boast about my work for God. 18For I am bold enough to tell you only about what the Messiahv has accomplished through me in bringing gentiles to obedience. By my words and actions, 19by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit,w I have fully proclaimed the gospel of the Messiahx from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum. 20My one ambition is to proclaim the gospel where the name of the Messiahy is not known, so I don’tz build on someone else’s foundation. 21Rather, as it is written,

“Those who were never told about him will see,

and those who have never heard will understand.”aa

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

22This is why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23But now, having no further opportunities in these regions, I want to come to you, as I’ve desired to do for many years. 24Now that I am on my way to Spain, I hope to see you when I come your way and, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, to be sent on by you.

25Right now, however, I’m going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, 26because the believers inbb Macedonia and Achaia have been eager to share their resources with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27Yes, they were eager to do this, and in fact they are obligated to help them, for if the gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to be of service to them in material things.

28So when I have completed this task and have put my seal on this contribution of theirs, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29And I know that when I come to you I will come with the full blessing of the Messiah.cc

30Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus, the Messiah,dd and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me 31that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32and that if it’s God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

Doxology

33Now may the God who grantsee peace be with all of you! Amen.