Romans 15

Living to Please Others

15We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.G2249G1161G1415G3784G941G771G102G2532G3361G700G14382We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.G1063G700G1538G2257G700G4139G1519G18G4314G36193For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me."

G1063G2532G5547G700G3756G1438G235G2531G1125G3680G3679G4571G1968G1909G16914Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.G1063G3745G4270G4270G1519G2251G1319G2443G2192G1223G5281G2532G3874G1124G2192G16805May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.G1161G2316G5281G2532G3874G1325G5213G846G5426G240G1722G240G2596G5547G24246Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.G2443G1392G3661G1722G1520G4750G1392G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G55477Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.G1352G4355G240G2531G2532G5547G2531G4355G2248G1519G1391G23168Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews

to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.G1161G3004G2424G5547G1096G1249G4061G5228G225G2316G1519G950G1860G39629He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: "For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name."

G1161G1484G1392G2316G5228G1656G2531G1125G1223G5124G1223G1843G4671G1722G1484G2532G5567G4675G368610And in another place it is written, "Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles."

G2532G3825G3004G2165G1484G3326G846G299211And yet again, "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth."

G2532G3825G134G2962G3956G134G1484G2532G1867G846G3956G299212And in another place Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne

will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him."G2532G3825G2268G3004G2071G4491G2421G2532G450G757G1484G1909G846G1679G1484G167913I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.G1161G2316G1680G4137G5209G3956G5479G2532G1515G1722G4100G1519G5209G4052G1722G1680G1722G1411G40G4151

Paul’s Reason for Writing

14I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters

, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.G1161G1473G846G2532G3982G4012G5216G3450G80G3754G846G2532G2075G3324G19G4137G3956G1108G1410G2532G3560G24015Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God's grace,G1161G80G1125G5112G5213G575G3313G5613G1878G5209G1878G1223G5485G1325G3427G5259G231616I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.G3165G1519G1511G3011G2424G5547G1519G1484G2418G2098G2316G2443G4376G1484G1096G2144G37G1722G40G415117So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.G2192G3767G2746G1722G2424G5547G4314G231618Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.G1063G5111G3756G5111G2980G5100G3739G5547G2716G3756G2716G1223G1700G1519G1484G5218G3056G2532G204119They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God's Spirit

. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.G1722G1411G4592G2532G5059G1722G1411G4151G2316G5620G575G2419G2532G2945G3360G2437G3165G4137G2098G554720My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.G1161G3779G5389G2097G3756G3699G5547G3687G3363G3618G1909G245G231021I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, "Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand."

G235G2531G1125G3739G846G312G3756G312G4012G3700G2532G3739G191G3756G191G492022In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.G1352G2532G1465G4183G1465G2064G4314G5209

Paul’s Travel Plans

23But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.G1161G3570G2192G3371G5117G1722G575G5125G2824G1161G2192G1974G4183G2094G2064G4314G520924I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.G5613G1437G4198G1519G4681G2064G4314G5209G1063G1679G2300G5209G1279G2532G4311G1563G5259G5216G1437G4412G1705G3313G1705G575G521625But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers

there.G1161G3570G4198G1519G2419G1247G4026For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia

have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.G1063G2106G3109G2532G882G4160G5100G2842G1519G4434G40G3588G1722G241927They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.G2106G1063G2532G846G3781G1526G1063G1487G1484G2841G846G4152G3784G2532G3008G846G1722G455928As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.G3767G2005G5124G2532G4972G846G5126G2590G565G1223G5216G1519G468129And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.G1161G1492G3754G2064G4314G5209G2064G1722G4138G2129G2098G554730Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.G1161G3870G5209G80G1223G2962G2424G5547G2257G2532G1223G26G4151G4865G3427G1722G4335G4314G2316G5228G170031Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.G2443G4506G575G544G1722G2449G2532G2443G3450G1248G3588G1519G2419G1096G2144G4032Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.G2443G2064G4314G5209G1722G5479G1223G2307G2316G2532G4875G5213G487533And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

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