Romans 15 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Those of us who are spiritually strong ought to support those who are spiritually weak. We shouldn't just please ourselves.
1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 We should all encourage others to do what's morally right, building them up.
2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.
3 Christ didn't live to please himself, but as Scripture says of him, “The insults of those who abused you have fallen on me.”
3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
4 These Scriptures were written down in the past to help us understand, and to encourage us so that we could wait patiently in hope.
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives patience and encouragement help you to be in full agreement among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
5 Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
6 so that you can with one mind and with one voice together glorify God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 So accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, and give God the glory.
7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.
8 I maintain that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show God tells the truth, keeping the promises he made to their forefathers.
8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,
9 He also came that foreigners could praise God for his mercy, as Scripture says, “Therefore I will praise you among the foreigners; I will sing praises to your name.”
9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name.”
10 And also: “Foreigners, celebrate with his people!”
10 Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”
11 And again: “All you foreigners, praise the Lord, let all peoples praise him.”
11 Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”
12 And again, Isaiah says, “Jesse's descendant will come to rule the nations, and foreigners will put their hope in him.”
12 Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”
13 May the God of hope completely fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you will overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit!
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 I'm convinced that you, my brothers and sisters, are full of goodness, and that you are filled with every kind of knowledge, so you are well able to teach one another.
14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.
15 I've been blunt in the way I have written to you about some of these things, but this is just to remind you. For God gave me grace
15 But I write the more boldly to you in part as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the foreigners, like a priest sharing God's good news, so that they could become an acceptable offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 So even though I have something to boast about because of my service for God,
17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.
18 (I wouldn't dare talk about any of this except as Christ has done it through me), I have led foreigners to obedience through my teaching and demonstration,
18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
19 through the power of signs and miracles done with the Holy Spirit's power. From Jerusalem all the way over to Illyricum, everywhere I've shared fully the good news of Christ.
19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;
20 In fact I was keen to spread the good news in places that hadn't heard the name of Christ, so that I wouldn't be building on what others have done.
20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.
21 As Scripture says, “Those who haven't been told the good news will discover him, and those who haven't heard will understand.”
21 But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”
22 That's why I was prevented so many times from coming to see you.
22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,
23 But now, as there's nowhere left here to work, and since I've looked forward to visiting you for many years,
23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,
24 when I go to Spain I hope to see you when I pass through. Maybe you can give me some help for my journey once we've enjoyed some time together.
24 whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
25 At the moment I'm on my way to Jerusalem to help the believers there,
25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.
26 because the believers in Macedonia and Achaia thought it was a good idea to send a contribution to the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.
26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.
27 They were happy to do this because they're in their debt. Now that foreigners are sharing their spiritual benefits, they owe it to the Jewish believers to help them in material things.
27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in material things.
28 So once I've done this, and have safely delivered this contribution to them, I'll visit you on my way to Spain.
28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
29 I know that when I come, Christ will give us his full blessing.
29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
30 I want to encourage you, my brothers and sisters through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join together in praying hard for me.
30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea. Pray that my work in Jerusalem will be welcomed by the believers there.
31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
32 Pray that I will come to you with gladness, as God wills, so we can enjoy one another's company.
32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.
33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Cross references (33)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Thessalonians 5:14; Romans 14:1; Galatians 6:1–2; 1 Corinthians 9:22; 1 Corinthians 12:22–24
- 2 1 Corinthians 10:24; Romans 14:19; Philippians 2:4–5; 1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1; 1 Corinthians 9:19–22
- 3 Psalm 69:9; Philippians 2:8; John 5:30; Psalm 89:50–51; John 4:34
- 4 1 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Romans 4:23–24; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Hebrews 10:35–36
- 5 Philippians 2:4–5; Romans 15:13; 1 Peter 3:8; Ephesians 5:2; Romans 12:16
- 6 John 10:29–30; Acts 4:24; Ephesians 1:3; Revelation 1:6; 2 Corinthians 11:31
- 7 Matthew 10:40; John 13:34; Romans 14:1–3; Romans 5:2; Luke 9:48
- 8 Galatians 4:4–5; Matthew 15:24; 2 Corinthians 1:20; John 1:11; Acts 3:25–26
- 9 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49; Romans 3:29; Matthew 9:8
- 10 Psalm 67:3–4; Deuteronomy 32:43; Isaiah 42:10–12; Psalm 138:4–5; Psalm 68:32
- 11 Psalm 117:1
- 12 Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 11:1; Matthew 12:21; Revelation 22:16; Revelation 5:5
- 13 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17; Romans 12:12; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Galatians 5:22; Romans 14:17
- 14 Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 1:12; 1 John 2:21; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 1 Corinthians 8:7
- 15 Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Romans 1:5; Romans 12:6; 1 Peter 4:10–11
- 16 Romans 11:13; Romans 1:1; Acts 9:15; 2 Timothy 1:11; Philippians 2:17
- 17 2 Corinthians 2:14–16; 2 Corinthians 12:11–21; 2 Corinthians 7:4; Hebrews 5:1; Philippians 3:3
- 18 Acts 15:12; Romans 1:5; Acts 21:19; Proverbs 25:14; Galatians 2:8
- 19 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4; Galatians 3:5; Acts 19:11–12; 2 Timothy 4:17
- 20 2 Corinthians 10:13–16; 1 Corinthians 3:9–15; Ephesians 2:20–22
- 21 Isaiah 52:15; Isaiah 65:1
- 22 Romans 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:17–18
- 23 Romans 15:32; Romans 1:10–12; Romans 15:29; Acts 19:21; 1 Thessalonians 3:10
- 24 Romans 15:28; Romans 1:12; Acts 15:3; 2 Corinthians 1:16; Acts 21:5
- 25 Acts 24:17; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:22; Acts 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:1–3
- 26 2 Corinthians 8:1–9; Acts 11:27–30; 2 Corinthians 9:2; James 2:5–6; 2 Corinthians 9:12
- 27 Galatians 6:6; 1 Corinthians 9:11; Philemon 19; Romans 11:17
- 28 Romans 15:24; Philippians 4:17; Colossians 1:6; Proverbs 19:21; Lamentations 3:37
- 29 Ephesians 4:13; Romans 1:10–12; Psalm 16:11; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 3:19
- 30 Colossians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Corinthians 4:11; Philippians 2:1
- 31 2 Thessalonians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 8:4; Romans 15:25; 2 Corinthians 9:1; Acts 21:17–31
- 32 1 Corinthians 16:18; Acts 18:21; Philemon 7; Philemon 20; 2 Corinthians 7:13
- 33 2 Corinthians 13:11; Philippians 4:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Romans 16:20; Hebrews 13:20
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Again, he is speaking of Christ's concern for us, still holding to the same topic, and showing what great things He hath done for us, and how "He pleased not Himself." (Rom. xv. 3.) And besides this, there is another point which he makes good, that those of the Gentiles are debtors to a larger amount unto God.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
because the Church of Christ hath both strong and weak ones; and cannot be without either strong or weak; whence the Apostle Paul says, "Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." In that Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," he represents the strong: but in that he totters, …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… which was produced after the ascension, manifests His equality with the Father; thus saying, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand." And Isaiah too saith, "He that riseth up to rule over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles trust." But how saith he that Bethlehem is "not the least among the princes of Judah?" …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Receive thou therefore Him that was born of David, believing the prophecy which saith, And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and He that shall rise to rule over the Gentiles: in Him shall the Gentiles trust.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
… adoption of sons, our liberty to call God our Father, our being made partakers of the grace of Christ, our being called children of light, our sharing in eternal glory, and, in a word, our being brought into a state of all "fulness of blessing," both in this world and in the world to come, of all the good gifts …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)