1 N ow we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to 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 neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

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 even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you 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 whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we 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 N ow the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another 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 with one accord you may with 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 T herefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, 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 has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to 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 a nd that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your 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 gain he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

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

11 A gain, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

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

12 A gain, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

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 N ow 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.

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 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.

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 B ut I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by 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 t hat 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.

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 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining 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 things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and 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 i n 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;

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 y es, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

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, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will 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 T herefore also I was hindered these 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, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to 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 henever 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.

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 say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving 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 been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at 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 Y es, 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 fleshly 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 W hen therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to 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 I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

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

30 N ow 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,

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 those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

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 to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

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).