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¹ Now we who are strong ought to be patient with the weaknesses of those who are not strong and must stop pleasing ourselves.[xr] ² Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building him up.[xr] ³ For even Christ did not please himself. Instead, as it is written, "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."[fn][xr] ⁴ For everything that was written long ago was written for our instruction, so that we might have hope through the endurance and encouragement that the Scriptures give us.[fn][xr]

⁵ Now may God, the source of endurance and encouragement, allow you to live in harmony with each other as you follow Christ Jesus,[fn][xr] ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.[xr]

⁷ Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ accepted you,[fn] for the glory of God.[xr] ⁸ For I tell you that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God's truth in order to confirm the promises given to our forefathers,[xr] ⁹ so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,[xr] "That is why I will praise[fn] you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name."[fn] ¹⁰ Again he says,[fn][xr] "Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people!"[fn] ¹¹ And again,[xr] "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the nations[fn] praise him."[fn] ¹² And again, Isaiah says,[xr] "There will be a Root[fn] from Jesse. He will rise up to rule the Gentiles, and the Gentiles will hope in him."[fn]

¹³ Now may God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.[xr]

¹⁴ I myself am convinced,[fn] my brothers, that you yourselves are filled with goodness and full of all the knowledge you need to be able to instruct each other.[xr] ¹⁵ However, on some points I have written to you rather boldly, both as a reminder to you and because of the grace given me by God[xr] ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable because it has been sanctified by the Holy Spirit.[xr]

¹⁷ Therefore, in Christ Jesus I have the right to boast about my work for God.[xr] ¹⁸ For I am bold enough to tell you only about what Christ has accomplished through me in the bringing of Gentiles to obedience. By my words and actions,[xr] ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of God's Spirit,[fn] I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem as far as Illyricum.[xr] ²⁰ My one ambition is to proclaim the gospel where the name of Christ is not known, lest I build on someone else's foundation.[xr] ²¹ Rather, as it is written,[xr] "Those who were never told about him will see, and those who have never heard will understand."[fn]

²² This is why I have so often been hindered in coming to you.[xr] ²³ But now, having no further opportunities in these regions, I have the desire to come to you, as I have had for many years.[xr] ²⁴ Now that I am on my way to Spain, I hope to see you when I come your way and, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, to be sent on by you.[xr] ²⁵ Right now, however, I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.[xr] ²⁶ For the believers in[fn] Macedonia and Achaia have been eager to share their resources with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.[xr] ²⁷ Yes, they were eager to do this, and in fact they are obligated to help them, for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to be of service to them in material things.[xr] ²⁸ So when I have completed this task and have put my seal on this contribution of theirs, I will visit you on my way to Spain.[xr] ²⁹ And I know that when I come to you I will come with the full blessing of Christ.[fn][xr]

³⁰ Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me[xr] ³¹ that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,[xr] ³² and that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.[xr] ³³ Now may the God of peace be with all of you! Amen.[xr]