The weaker brother (continued)
- Now, we (the strong) ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Let each of us please his neighbor for his good for building him up.
- For even the Anointed didn’t please Himself, but just as it is *written: “The slanders of the men slandering you fell on Me.”
- For whatever was previously written, it was [all] written for our instruction, so through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.
- And may the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Jesus the Anointed,
- so that single-mindedly with one mouth you might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed.
- Therefore, accept one another just as the Anointed also accepted you, to the glory of God.
The work of the Anointed
- For I say that the Anointed has become a servant of the circumcision for the sake of the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises given to the fathers.
- and to the gentiles for the sake of mercy, to glorify God. Just as it is *written: “Because of this, I will confess praise to you among the gentiles, and I will sing to your name.”
- And again it says: “Rejoice with His people you gentiles.”
- And again: “Praise the Lord all you gentiles; and exalt Him all peoples.”
- And again, Isaiah says: “There will be the root of Jesse, and the One arising to rule over the gentiles; on Him the gentiles will hope.”
- And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in you to believe, for you to overflow in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- And my brothers, I myself am also *convinced concerning you, that you yourselves are also full of goodness, *filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
- And I wrote to you boldly, in part, as if reminding you because of the grace which was given to me by God
- for me to be a minister of Jesus the Anointed to the gentiles, ministering as a priest of the gospel of God so the offering of the gentiles might become acceptable, having been *made holy by the Holy Spirit.
- Therefore in Jesus the Anointed, I have a reason for boasting of the things pertaining to God.
- For I won’t dare to speak of anything that the Anointed didn’t accomplish through me for the obedience of the gentiles in word and deed,
- by the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit [of God], so as for me to have fulfilled the proclamation of the gospel of the Anointed from Jerusalem and around as far as Illyricum.
- And so I’m earnestly desiring to proclaim the gospel where the Anointed wasn’t named, so I won’t build on another man’s foundation.
- But just as it is *written: “To whom it wasn’t reported concerning Him, they will see, And men who haven’t heard will understand.”
- And because of that, I was often being hindered from coming to you.
Paul’s travel plans
- But now, no longer having a place in these regions and having a yearning to come to you for many years,
- for I hope to see you while passing through when I travel into Spain, and to be equipped by you there, if I might be satisfied in part by your company first.
- But now I travel to Jerusalem, ministering to the saints.
- For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution to the poor saints in Jerusalem.
- For, they were pleased and they are debtors of them. For if the gentiles shared in their spiritual things, they ought to minister to them in earthly things also.
- Therefore, having accomplished this and having sealed this fruit to them, I will depart through you into Spain.
- And I have known that coming to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Anointed.
- And brothers, I urge you through our Lord Jesus the Anointed and through the ^love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God for me,
- so I might be delivered from the men in Judea refusing to believe, and so my service for Jerusalem might be acceptable to the saints,
- so that having come to you with joy through the will of God, I might be refreshed in spirit with you.
- And the God of peace be with you all. Amen.