Romans 15:1-2

Exhortation for the Strong to Help the Weak

15:1 But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves. ¹  15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

Romans 15:2

15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

Colossians 1:6

1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ²  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ³  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

Galatians 6:2

6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:2

4:2 with all humility and gentleness, ⁴  with patience, bearing with ⁵  one another in love,

Ephesians 4:32

4:32 Instead, ⁶  be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you. ⁷ 

¹ tn Grk “and not please ourselves.” NT Greek negatives used in contrast like this are often not absolute, but relative: “not so much one as the other.”

² tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.

⁴ tn Or “meekness.” The word is often used in Hellenistic Greek of the merciful execution of justice on behalf of those who have no voice by those who are in a position of authority (Matt 11:29; 21:5).

⁵ tn Or “putting up with”; or “forbearing.”

⁶ tc ‡ Although most witnesses have either δέ (de; Ì⁴⁹ א A D² Ψ 33 1739^mg Ï lat) or οὖν (oun; D* F G 1175) here, a few important mss lack a conjunction (Ì⁴⁶ B 0278 6 1739* 1881). If either conjunction were originally in the text, it is difficult to explain how the asyndetic construction could have arisen (although the dropping of δέ could have occurred via homoioteleuton). Further, although Hellenistic Greek rarely joined sentences without a conjunction, such does occur in the corpus Paulinum on occasion, especially to underscore a somber point. “Instead” has been supplied in the translation because of stylistic requirements, not textual basis. NA²⁷ places δέ in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

⁷ tn Or “forgiving.”