15:14 But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, 12 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15:15 But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve 13 the gospel of God 14 like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, 15 sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
15:17 So I boast 16 in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience 17 of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant,
to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the remnant 18 of Israel? 19
I will make you a light to the nations, 20
so you can bring 21 my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
2:32 a light, 22
for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory 23 to your people Israel.”
2:11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body 29 by human hands – 2:12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, 30 alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, 31 having no hope and without God in the world. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 32
1 tn Grk “but if indeed God is one.”
2 tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.
3 sn A quotation from Joel 2:32.
4 tn Grk “of the circumcision”; that is, the Jews.
5 tn Or “to the patriarchs.”
6 tn There are two major syntactical alternatives which are both awkward: (1) One could make “glorify” dependent on “Christ has become a minister” and coordinate with “to confirm” and the result would be rendered “Christ has become a minister of circumcision to confirm the promises…and so that the Gentiles might glorify God.” (2) One could make “glorify” dependent on “I tell you” and coordinate with “Christ has become a minister” and the result would be rendered “I tell you that Christ has become a minister of circumcision…and that the Gentiles glorify God.” The second rendering is preferred.
7 sn A quotation from Ps 18:49.
8 sn A quotation from Deut 32:43.
9 sn A quotation from Ps 117:1.
10 sn A quotation from Isa 11:10.
11 tn Grk “in the believing” or “as [you] believe,” with the object “him” supplied from the context. The referent could be God (15:13a) or Christ (15:12).
12 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
13 tn Grk “serving.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but in keeping with contemporary English style, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
14 tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.
15 tn Grk “so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable.” This could be understood to refer to an offering belonging to the Gentiles (a possessive genitive) or made by the Gentiles (subjective genitive), but more likely the phrase should be understood as an appositive genitive, with the Gentiles themselves consisting of the offering (so J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC 38], 2:860). The latter view is reflected in the translation “so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering.”
16 tc ‡ After οὖν (oun), several important Alexandrian and Western
17 tn Grk “unto obedience.”
18 tn Heb “the protected [or “preserved”] ones.”
19 sn The question is purely rhetorical; it does not imply that the servant was dissatisfied with his commission or that he minimized the restoration of Israel.
20 tn See the note at 42:6.
21 tn Heb “be” (so KJV, ASV); CEV “you must take.”
22 tn The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” (1:78-79) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.
23 sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“glory”) for the nation.
24 tn Or “so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”
25 tn Or “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
26 tn Grk “For as many of you as.”
27 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 1:10.
28 tn Grk “male and female.”
29 tn Grk “in the flesh.”
30 tn Or “without Christ.” Both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Because the context refers to ancient Israel’s messianic expectation, “Messiah” was employed in the translation at this point rather than “Christ.”
31 tn Or “covenants of the promise.”
32 tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”
33 sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.
34 sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).
35 tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.