New Living Translation

King James Bible

Living to Please Others

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.

1

Accept One Another

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

2

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

2

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

3

For 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.”a

3

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

4

Such 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.

4

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

5

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

5

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

6

Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

7

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

8

Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jewsb to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.

8

Christ the Servant of Jews and Gentiles

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

9

He 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.”c

9

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

10

And in another place it is written,
“Rejoice with his people,
you Gentiles.”d

10

And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

11

And yet again,
“Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.”e

11

And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

12

And in another place Isaiah said,
“The heir to David’s thronef will come,
and he will rule over the Gentiles.
They will place their hope on him.”g

12

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

13

I 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.

13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

14

Paul’s Reason for Writing

I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters,h that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.

14

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

15

Even 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,

15

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

16

I 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.

16

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

17

So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.

17

I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

18

Yet 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.

18

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

19

They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit.i In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.j

19

Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

20

My 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.

20

Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

21

I 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.”k

21

But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

22

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

22

For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

23

Paul’s Travel Plans

But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.

23

Paul's Plan to Visit Spain and Rome

But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;

24

I 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.

24

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

25

But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believersl there.

25

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

26

For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaiam have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

26

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

27

They 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.

27

It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

28

As 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.

28

When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

29

And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

29

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

30

Dear 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.

30

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

31

Pray 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 donationn I am taking to Jerusalem.

31

That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

32

Then, 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.

32

That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

33

And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.o

33

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Parallel

New Living Translation

King James Bible

Romans 15

Romans 15