1 ¶ We then that are stronger ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not please ourselves.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings and the frailties and the tender scruples of the weak; and not to please ourselves.

2 L et each one of us please his neighbour in that which is good, unto edification.

Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him.

3 F or the Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of those that reproached thee fell on me.

For Christ did not please Himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you fell on Me.

4 F or the things that were written beforehand were written for our instruction that we, through patient endurance and through the comfort of the scriptures, might have hope.

For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by endurance and the encouragement from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.

5 ¶ Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be unanimous among yourselves according to Christ Jesus,

Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

6 t hat ye may with one accord and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That together you may with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

7 ¶ Therefore bear one another, as the Christ also bore us, to the glory of God.

Welcome and receive one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God.

8 N ow I say that Christ Jesus, was a minister of the circumcision, by the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers;

For I tell you that Christ (the Messiah) became a servant and a minister to the circumcised (the Jews) in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming (verifying) the promises to our fathers,

9 b ut that the Gentiles glorify God by mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy name.

And that the Gentiles (nations) might glorify God for His mercy to them. As it is written, Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles and sing praises to Your name.

10 A nd again he says, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

Again it is said, Rejoice (exult), O Gentiles, along with His people;

11 A nd again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and magnify him, all the peoples.

And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him!

12 A nd again, Isaiah says, There shall be a root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles shall wait for salvation.

And further Isaiah says, There shall be a Sprout from the Root of Jesse, He Who rises to rule over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles hope.

13 ¶ And believing, the God of hope fills you with all joy and peace that ye may abound in hope by the virtue of the Holy Spirit.

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

14 ¶ But I am convinced regarding you, my brethren, that even without my exhortation ye are full of charity, full of all knowledge, so as to be able to admonish one another.

Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness, amply filled with all knowledge and competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.

15 N evertheless I have written, brethren, in part boldly, as admonishing you by the grace that is given to me of God,

Still on some points I have written to you the more boldly and unreservedly by way of reminder. because of the grace (the unmerited favor) bestowed on me by God

16 b eing the minister of Jesus Christ, to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be well pleasing, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

In making me a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I act in the priestly service of the Gospel (the good news) of God, in order that the sacrificial offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, consecrated and made holy by the Holy Spirit.

17 ¶ Therefore I have something to boast of in Christ Jesus, with regard to God.

In Christ Jesus, then, I have legitimate reason to glory (exult) in my work for God.

18 F or I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not wrought by me, unto the obedience of the Gentiles, with word and with deed,

For I will not venture (presume) to speak thus of any work except what Christ has actually done through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed,

19 w ith power of signs and wonders, in virtue of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem and round about unto Illyricum, I have filled the entire area with the gospel of the Christ.

with the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. that starting from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ (the Messiah) in its entirety.

20 A nd in this manner I preached this gospel, not where Christ had been named previously, not to build upon a foundation belonging to another,

Thus my ambition has been to preach the Gospel, not where Christ’s name has already been known, lest I build on another man’s foundation;

21 b ut, as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see, and those that have not heard shall understand.

But as it is written, They shall see who have never been told of Him, and they shall understand who have never heard.

22 ¶ For which reason I have even been hindered many times from coming to you.

This is the reason why I have so frequently been hindered from coming to visit you.

23 B ut now having more place in these parts and having a great desire these many years to come unto you,

But now since I have no further opportunity for work in these regions, and since I have longed for enough years to come to you,

24 w hen I leave for Spain, I will come unto you; for I trust to see you on my journey and to be taken there by you, if first I may enjoy your company.

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be aided on my journey there by you, after I have enjoyed your company for a little while.

25 B ut now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

For the present, however, I am going to Jerusalem to bring aid (relief) for the saints (God’s people there).

26 F or it has pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints who are in Jerusalem.

For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make some contribution for the poor among the saints of Jerusalem.

27 I t has pleased them verily, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they should also minister unto them in carnal things.

They were pleased to do it; and surely they are in debt to them, for if these Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, then they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.

28 S o that, when I have concluded this and have delivered unto them this fruit, I will come by you unto Spain.

When therefore I have completed this mission and have delivered to them what has been raised, I shall go on by way of you to Spain.

29 F or I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of the Christ.

And I know that when I do come to you, I shall come in the abundant blessing of the Gospel of Christ.

30 ¶ But I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the charity of the Spirit, that ye help me with prayers to God for me,

I appeal to you, brethren, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love the Spirit, to unite with me in earnest wrestling in prayer to God in my behalf.

31 t hat I may be delivered from the disobedient in Judaea and that the offering of my service to the saints in Jerusalem may be accepted,

that I may be delivered (rescued) from the unbelievers in Judea and that my mission of relief to Jerusalem may be acceptable and graciously received by the saints (God’s people there),

32 t hat I may come unto you with joy by the will of God and may be refreshed together with you.

So that by God’s will I may subsequently come to you with joy (with a happy heart) and be refreshed in your company.

33 N ow the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

May peace-giving God be with you all! Amen (so be it).