Romans 15:20

New King James Version

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation,

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
I always want to tell the Good News in places where people have never heard of Christ. I do this because I don't want to build on the work that someone else has already started.

Revised Standard Version
thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man's foundation,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
So have I enforsed my selfe to preache the gospell not where Christ was named lest I shuld have bylt on another mannes foundacion:

Hebrew Names Version
yes, making it my aim so to preach the Good News, not where Messiah was already named, that I might not build on another man's foundation.

International Standard Version
My one ambition is to proclaim the gospel where the name of Christ is not known, lest I build on someone else's foundation.2 Corinthians 10:13,15-16;">[xr]

New American Standard Bible
And in this way I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already known by name, so that I would not build on another person's foundation;

New Century Version
I always want to preach the Good News in places where people have never heard of Christ, because I do not want to build on the work someone else has already started.

Update Bible Version
yes, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was [already] named, that I might not build on another man's foundation;

Webster's Bible Translation
And so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

English Standard Version
and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation,

World English Bible
yes, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another man's foundation.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But I have striven, so to preach the gospel, not where Christ had been named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation.

Weymouth's New Testament
making it my ambition, however, not to tell the Good News where Christ's name was already known, for fear I should be building on another man's foundation.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And so Y haue prechid this gospel, not where Crist was named, lest Y bilde vpon anotheres ground, but as it is writun,

English Revised Version
yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation;

Berean Standard Bible
In this way, I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.

Contemporary English Version
But I have always tried to preach where people have never heard about Christ. I am like a builder who doesn't build on anyone else's foundation.

Amplified Bible
Accordingly I set a goal to preach the gospel, not where Christ's name was already known, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;

American Standard Version
yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation;

Bible in Basic English
Making it my purpose not to take the good news where Christ was named, so that my work might not be resting on that of others;

Complete Jewish Bible
I have always made it my ambition to proclaim the Good News where the Messiah was not yet known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation,

Darby Translation
and so aiming to announce the glad tidings, not where Christ has been named, that I might not build upon another's foundation;

Etheridge Translation
being anxious to preach, not where the name of Meshiha had been called, that I might not build upon another foundation,

Murdock Translation
while I was careful not to preach where the name of Messiah had been invoked, lest I should build upon another man's foundation;

King James Version (1611)
Yea, so haue I striued to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build vpon another mans foundation:

New Living Translation
My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.

New Life Bible
It is my desire to preach the Good News where it has never been preached. I want to preach only where Christ is not known.

New Revised Standard
Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the good news, not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else's foundation,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yea, so I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should haue built on another mans foundation.

George Lamsa Translation
And I have strived to preach the gospel, not at any place where Christ''s name had already been preached, because I did not want to build on another''s foundation:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Although, thus, - as ambitious to be announcing the glad-message - not where Christ had been named, lest, upon another's foundation, I should be building;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have so preached this gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man a foundation.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
So haue I enforced my selfe to preach the Gospell, not where Christe was named, lest I shoulde haue buylt vpon an other mans foundation.

Good News Translation
My ambition has always been to proclaim the Good News in places where Christ has not been heard of, so as not to build on a foundation laid by someone else.

Christian Standard Bible®
My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,

King James Version
Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

Lexham English Bible
And so, having as my ambition to proclaim the gospel where Christ has not been named, in order that I will not build on the foundation belonging to someone else,

Literal Translation
And so eagerly striving to preach the gospel where Christ was not named, so that I should not build on another's foundation,

Young's Literal Translation
and so counting it honour to proclaim good news, not where Christ was named -- that upon another's foundation I might not build --

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So haue I enforced myselfe to preach ye Gospell, not where Christes name was knowne, lest I shulde buylde on another mans foundacion,

Mace New Testament (1729)
I have effectually preached the gospel of Christ: yet so as studiously to avoid preaching it where Christ was owned, lest I should build upon another man's foundation; for,

New English Translation
And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person's foundation,

Simplified Cowboy Version
My sole purpose is to bring the good news to those who have never heard it. I didn't go to the churches, I went into the brush.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;

Legacy Standard Bible
And in this way I make it my ambition to proclaim the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation;

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. ¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient-- ¹⁹ in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation, ²¹ but as it is written: "To whom He was not announced, they shall see;And those who have not heard shall understand." Isaiah 52:15 ">[fn]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

so: 2 Corinthians 10:14-16

build: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15, 2 Corinthians 10:13-16, Ephesians 2:20-22

Reciprocal: Isaiah 52:15 - for Isaiah 55:5 - thou shalt Micah 5:7 - as a dew 1 Corinthians 3:10 - I have 1 Corinthians 4:15 - for 2 Corinthians 5:9 - we labour 2 Corinthians 10:15 - boasting Colossians 1:29 - striving 1 Thessalonians 4:11 - study 2 Timothy 2:19 - Let

Cross-References

Genesis 14:5
In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him came and attacked the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,

Isaiah 17:5
It shall be as when the harvester gathers the grain, And reaps the heads with his arm; It shall be as he who gathers heads of grain In the Valley of Rephaim.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel,.... The sense is, not barely that he strove to preach the Gospel and not the law, the pure Gospel, and, not a mixed one; nor only that he endeavoured to preach it fully, and leave out nothing; but that he had an holy ambition to preach it,

not where Christ was named; as in Judea, where he had been for many ages spoken of and expected, and where he had lately appeared, lived, suffered, and died, and where his Gospel had been preached by all the apostles; as also in such parts of the Gentile world, where others of the apostles had been, and had made mention of his name, and published the glad tidings of salvation by him; but he chose rather to go to such Heathen nations, as were wholly without any knowledge of him; who had only the dim light of nature to guide them; had had no promises nor prophecies of the Messiah, nor so much as any hints, at least very distant ones, concerning him; and where as yet the sound of the Gospel bad not reached:

lest I should build on another man's foundation; meaning not the law of Moses, nor the doctrines of the false teachers, but the foundation of the true apostles, and which was no other than the foundation Christ, he himself laid; but he chose not to go where they had laid the foundation by preaching Christ and his Gospel, that he might not take another man's crown, or boast in another man's line, or of other men's labours; but rather to go where others had never been, that he might first lay the foundation himself, by preaching Christ, and him crucified, and so the more act up to his character as an apostle, and as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yea, so have I strived - The word used here φιλοτιμούμενον philotimoumenon means properly “to be ambitious, to be studious of honor;” and then to “desire” earnestly. In that sense it is used here. He earnestly desired; he made it a point for which he struggled, to penetrate into regions which had not heard the gospel.

Not where Christ was named - Where the gospel had not been before preached.

Lest I should build ... - That is, he desired to found churches himself; he regarded himself as particularly called to this. Others might be called to edify the church, but he regarded it as his function to make known the name of the Saviour where it was not before known. This work was particularly adapted to the ardor, zeal, energy, and bravery of such a man as Paul. Every man has his proper gift; and there are some particularly suited to “found” and establish churches; others to edify and comfort them; compare 2 Corinthians 10:13-16. The apostle chose the higher honor, involving most danger and responsibility; but still any office in building up the church is honorable.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 20. So have I strived to preach the Gospel — ουτω δε φιλοτιμουμενον. For I have considered it my honour to preach the Gospel where that Gospel was before unknown. This is the proper import of the word φιλοτιμεισθαι; from φιλος, a friend, and τιμη, honour. As I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, so I esteem it an honour to preach it, and especially to proclaim it among the heathen; not building on another man's foundation-not watering what another apostle had planted; but cheerfully exposing myself to all kinds of dangers and hardships, in order to found new Churches.