The Example of Christ

1 ^sWe who are strong ^thave an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 ^uLet each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For ^vChrist did not please himself, but as it is written, ^w“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4 For ^xwhatever was written in former days was written for our ^yinstruction, that through endurance and through ^zthe encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you ^ato live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify ^bthe God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Christ the Hope of Jews and Gentiles

8 For I tell you that Christ ^cbecame a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order ^dto confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order ^ethat the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

10 And again it is said,

11 And again,

12 And again Isaiah says,

13 May the God of hope fill you with all ^ljoy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Paul the Minister to the Gentiles

14 ^mI myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,¹ that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with ⁿall knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, ^obecause of the grace given me by God 16 to be ^pa minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles ^qin the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that ^rthe offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have ^sreason to be proud of ^tmy work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except ^uwhat Christ has accomplished through me ^vto bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 ^wby the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that ^xfrom Jerusalem and all the way around ^yto Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, ^zlest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written,

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

22 This is the reason why ^bI have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and ^csince I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go ^dto Spain, and ^eto be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, ^fI am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For ^gMacedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed ^hthey owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,² I will leave ⁱfor Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing³ of Christ.

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by ^jthe love of the Spirit, ^kto strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 ^lthat I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that ^mmy service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and ⁿbe refreshed in your company. 33 May ^othe God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Personal Greetings

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant⁴ of the church at ^pCenchreae, 2 that you ^qmay welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.

3 Greet ^rPrisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also ^sthe church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was ^tthe first convert⁵ to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,⁶ my kinsmen and my ^ufellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,⁷ and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those ^vwho belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers⁸ who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 ^wGreet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Final Instructions and Greetings

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles ^xcontrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; ^yavoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but ^ztheir own appetites,⁹ and ^aby smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For ^byour obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you ^cto be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 ^dThe God of peace ^ewill soon crush Satan under your feet. ^fThe grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

21 ^gTimothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.

22 I Tertius, ^hwho wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 ⁱGaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.¹⁰

Doxology

25 ^jNow to him who is able to strengthen you ^kaccording to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, ^laccording to the revelation of the mystery ^mthat was kept secret for ⁿlong ages 26 but ^ohas now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, ^pto bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to ^qthe only wise God ^rbe glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Deliver Me, O Lord, from Evil Men

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.