Roma 15 (EVD)

1We are strong with faith. So we should help the people who are weak. We should help those people with their weaknesses. We should not try to please ourselves.

2Each of us should please other people. We should do this to help them. We should try to help them be stronger in faith.

3Even Christ did not live trying to please himself. It was like the Scriptures said {about him}: “Those people that insulted you have also insulted me.”

4Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. Those things were written so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and strength that the Scriptures give us.

5Patience and strength come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree together the way Christ Jesus wants.

6Then you will all be joined together. And all together you will give glory (praise) to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7Christ accepted you. So you should accept each other. This will bring glory to God.

8I tell you that Christ became a servant of the Jews to show that what God promises is true. Christ did this to prove that God will do the things he promised the Jewish fathers.

9Christ also did this so that the non-Jews could give glory to God for the mercy he gives to them. The Scriptures say, “So I will give thanks to you among the non-Jewish people; I will sing praise to your name.” Psalm 18:49

10And the Scriptures also say, “You non-Jews should be happy together with God’s people.” Deuteronomy 32:43

11The Scriptures also say, “Praise the Lord all you non-Jews; all people should praise the Lord.” Psalm 117:1

12And Isaiah says, “A person will come from Jesse’s family. That person will come to rule over the non-Jews; and the non-Jews will have hope because of that person.” Isaiah 11:10

13I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul Talks About His Work

14My brothers and sisters, I am sure that you are full of good. I know that you have all the knowledge you need and that you are able to teach each other.

15But I have written to you very openly about some things that I wanted you to remember. I did this because God gave me this special gift:

16to be a minister of Christ Jesus. God made me a minister to help the non-Jewish people. I serve God by teaching his Good News. I do this so that the non-Jewish people may be an offering that God will accept. Those people are made holy for God by the Holy Spirit.

17So I am proud of the things I have done for God in Christ Jesus.

18I will not talk about anything I did myself. I will talk only about the things that Christ has done with me in leading the non-Jewish people to obey God. They have obeyed God because of the things I have said and done.

19And they obeyed God because of the power of the miracles and the great things they saw, and because of the power of God’s Spirit. I have told people the Good News about Christ in every place from Jerusalem to Illyricum. And so I have finished that part of my work.

20I always want to tell the Good News in places where people have never heard of Christ. I do this because I don’t want to build on the work that another person has already started.

21But it is written {in the Scriptures}: “ The people that were not told about him (the Christ) will see, and those people that have not heard about him will understand.” Isaiah 52:15

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

22That is why many times I was stopped from coming to you.

23Now I have finished my work in these areas here. And for many years I have wanted to visit you.

24So I will visit you when I go to Spain. Yes, I hope to visit you while I am traveling to Spain, and I will stay and enjoy being with you. Then you can help me on my trip.

25Now I am going to Jerusalem to help God’s people.

26Some of God’s people in Jerusalem are poor. And {The believers in} Macedonia and Achaia wanted to help those people. So they gathered some money to give them.

27{The believers in} Macedonia and Achaia were happy to do this. And really they should help those believers in Jerusalem. They should help because they are non-Jews and have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings. So they should use the things they have to help the Jews. They owe this to the Jews.

28I must be sure that the poor people in Jerusalem get all this money that has been given for them. After I finish this work, then I will leave for Spain. While I am traveling to Spain, I will stop and visit you.

29I know that when I visit you, I will bring you Christ’s full blessing.

30Brothers and sisters, I beg you to help me in my work by praying to God for me. Do this because of our Lord Jesus and the love that the Holy Spirit gives us.

31Pray that I will be saved from the non-believers in Judea. And pray that this help I bring to Jerusalem will please God’s people there.

32Then, if God wants me to, I will come to you. I will come with joy, and together you and I will have a time of rest.

33The God that gives peace be with you all. Amen.

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