1 A nd we ought -- we who are strong -- to bear the infirmities 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 f or let each one of us please the neighbor for 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 even the Christ did not please himself, but, according as it hath been written, `The reproaches of those reproaching Thee fell upon 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, as many things as were written before, for our instruction were written before, that through the endurance, and the exhortation of the Writings, we might have the 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 A nd may the God of the endurance, and of the exhortation, give to you to have the same mind toward one 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 -- with one mouth -- ye may 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 w herefore receive ye one another, according as also the Christ did receive 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 A nd I say Jesus Christ to have become a ministrant of circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises 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 the nations for kindness to glorify God, according as it hath been written, `Because of this I will confess to Thee among nations, and to Thy name I will sing praise,'

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 it saith, `Rejoice ye nations, with His people;'

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

11 a nd again, `Praise the Lord, all ye nations; and laud Him, all ye peoples;'

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

12 a nd again, Isaiah saith, `There shall be the root of Jesse, and he who is rising to rule nations -- upon him shall nations 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 a nd the God of the hope shall fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, for your abounding in the hope in 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 A nd I am persuaded, my brethren -- I myself also -- concerning you, that ye yourselves also are full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, able also one another to admonish;

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 a nd the more boldly I did write to you, brethren, in part, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is 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 f or my being a servant of Jesus Christ to the nations, acting as priest in the good news of God, that the offering up of the nations may become 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, then, a boasting in Christ Jesus, in the 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 anything of the things that Christ did not work through me, to obedience of nations, 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 power of signs and wonders, in power of the Spirit of God; so that I, from Jerusalem, and in a circle as far as Illyricum, have fully preached the good news 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 so counting it honour to proclaim good news, not where Christ was named -- that upon another's foundation I might not build --

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 according as it hath been written, `To whom it was not told concerning him, they shall see; and they who 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 W herefore, also, I was hindered many times from coming unto you,

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

23 a nd now, no longer having place in these parts, and having a longing to come unto you for many years,

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 may go on to Spain I will come unto you, for I hope in going through, to see you, and by you to be set forward thither, if of you first, in part, I shall be filled.

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 A nd, now, I go on to Jerusalem, ministering to 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 pleased Macedonia and Achaia well to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints who 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 f or it pleased well, and their debtors they are, for if in their spiritual things the nations did participate, they ought also, in the fleshly things, to minister to them.

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 T his, then, having finished, and having sealed to them this fruit, I will return through 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 a nd I have known that coming unto you -- in the fulness of the blessing of the good news of Christ I shall come.

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

30 A nd I call upon you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in the prayers for me unto God,

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 not believing in Judea, and that my ministration, that for Jerusalem, may become 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 in joy I may come unto you, through the will of God, and may be refreshed 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 a nd the God of the peace with you all. Amen.

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