Romans 15:1-14

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. 15:3 For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ²  15:4 For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope. 15:5 Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another ³  in accordance with Christ Jesus, 15:6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Exhortation to Mutual Acceptance

15:7 Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory. 15:8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised ⁴  on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁵  15:9 and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. ⁶  As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.” ⁷  15:10 And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” ⁸  15:11 And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” ⁹  15:12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.” ¹⁰  15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, ¹¹  so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s Motivation for Writing the Letter

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.

[15:1]  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.”

[15:3]  ² sn A quotation from Ps 69:9.

[15:5]  ³ tn Grk “grant you to think the same among one another.”

[15:8]  ⁴ tn Grk “of the circumcision”; that is, the Jews.

[15:8]  ⁵ tn Or “to the patriarchs.”

[15:9]  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.

[15:9]  ⁷ sn A quotation from Ps 18:49.

[15:10]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Deut 32:43.

[15:11]  ⁹ sn A quotation from Ps 117:1.

[15:12]  ¹⁰ sn A quotation from Isa 11:10.

[15:13]  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).

[15:14]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.