11:20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don"t be conceited, but fear; 11:21 for if G.o.d didn"t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 11:22 See then the goodness and severity of G.o.d. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. 11:23 They also, if they don"t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for G.o.d is able to graft them in again.
11:24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree? 11:25 For I don"t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won"t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written,
"There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away unG.o.dliness from Jacob. 11:27 This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."* 11:28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers" sake. 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of G.o.d are irrevocable. 11:30 For as you in time past were disobedient to G.o.d, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience, 11:31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy. 11:32 For G.o.d has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all. 11:33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of G.o.d! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
11:34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"* 11:35 "Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?"* 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of G.o.d, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to G.o.d, which is your spiritual service. 12:2 Don"t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of G.o.d. 12:3 For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as G.o.d has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.
12:4 For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don"t have the same function, 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 12:6 Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; 12:7 or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; 12:8 or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil. Cling to that which is good. 12:10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another; 12:11 not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12:12 rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer; 12:13 contributing to the needs of the saints; given to hospitality. 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and don"t curse. 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don"t set your mind on high things, but a.s.sociate with the humble. Don"t be wise in your own conceits. 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. 12:18 If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men. 12:19 Don"t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to G.o.d"s wrath. For it is written, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord."* 12:20 Therefore
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his head."* 12:21 Don"t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
13:1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from G.o.d, and those who exist are ordained by G.o.d. 13:2 Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of G.o.d; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment. 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you desire to have no fear of the authority? Do that which is good, and you will have praise from the same, 13:4 for he is a servant of G.o.d to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn"t bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of G.o.d, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil. 13:5 Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience"
sake. 13:6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are servants of G.o.d"s service, attending continually on this very thing. 13:7 Give therefore to everyone what you owe: taxes to whom taxes are due; customs to whom customs; respect to whom respect; honor to whom honor. 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not give false testimony," "You shall not covet,"** and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."* 13:10 Love doesn"t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already time for you to awaken out of sleep, for salvation is now nearer to us than when we first believed. 13:12 The night is far gone, and the day is near. Let"s therefore throw off the works of darkness, and let"s put on the armor of light. 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in s.e.xual promiscuity and l.u.s.tful acts, and not in strife and jealousy.
13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, for its l.u.s.ts.
14:1 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 14:2 One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 14:3 Don"t let him who eats despise him who doesn"t eat. Don"t let him who doesn"t eat judge him who eats, for G.o.d has accepted him. 14:4 Who are you who judge another"s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for G.o.d has power to make him stand.
14:5 One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully a.s.sured in his own mind. 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives G.o.d thanks. He who doesn"t eat, to the Lord he doesn"t eat, and gives G.o.d thanks. 14:7 For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 14:8 For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord"s. 14:9 For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
14:10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 14:11 For it is written,
""As I live," says the Lord, "to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to G.o.d.""* 14:12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to G.o.d. 14:13 Therefore let"s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother"s way, or an occasion for falling. 14:14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
14:15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don"t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 14:16 Then don"t let your good be slandered, 14:17 for the Kingdom of G.o.d is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 14:18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to G.o.d and approved by men. 14:19 So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 14:20 Don"t overthrow G.o.d"s work for food"s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.
14:21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
14:22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before G.o.d. Happy is he who doesn"t judge himself in that which he approves. 14:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn"t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
14:24 Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, 14:25 but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal G.o.d, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; 14:26 to the only wise G.o.d, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
15:1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 15:2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 15:3 For even Christ didn"t please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me."* 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 15:5 Now the G.o.d of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus, 15:6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the G.o.d and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15:7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of G.o.d. 15:8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circ.u.mcision for the truth of G.o.d, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 15:9 and that the Gentiles might glorify G.o.d for his mercy. As it is written,
"Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name."* 15:10 Again he says,
"Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."* 15:11 Again,
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him."*
15:12 Again, Isaiah says,
"There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope."* 15:13 Now may the G.o.d of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit. 15:14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. 15:15 But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by G.o.d, 15:16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of G.o.d, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 15:17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to G.o.d. 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of G.o.d"s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyric.u.m, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 15:20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another"s foundation. 15:21 But, as it is written,
"They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven"t heard will understand."* 15:22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 15:23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 15:24 whenever I journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 15:25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 15:26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem. 15:27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things. 15:28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.
15:29 I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
15:30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to G.o.d for me, 15:31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints; 15:32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of G.o.d, and together with you, find rest. 15:33 Now the G.o.d of peace be with you all. Amen.
16:1 I commend to you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the a.s.sembly that is at Cenchreae, 16:2 that you receive her in the Lord, in a way worthy of the saints, and that you a.s.sist her in whatever matter she may need from you, for she herself also has been a helper of many, and of my own self.
16:3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 16:4 who for my life, laid down their own necks; to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the a.s.semblies of the Gentiles. 16:5 Greet the a.s.sembly that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 16:6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 16:7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives and my fellow prisoners, who are notable among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 16:8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 16:9 Greet Urba.n.u.s, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 16:10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 16:11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet them of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 16:12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who labor in the Lord. Greet Persis, the beloved, who labored much in the Lord. 16:13 Greet Rufus, the chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 16:14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. 16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16:16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
The a.s.semblies of Christ greet you.
16:17 Now I beg you, brothers, look out for those who are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. 16:18 For those who are such don"t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent. 16:19 For your obedience has become known to all. I rejoice therefore over you. But I desire to have you wise in that which is good, but innocent in that which is evil. 16:20 And the G.o.d of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
16:21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my relatives. 16:22 I, Tertius, who write the letter, greet you in the Lord. 16:23 Gaius, my host and host of the whole a.s.sembly, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, as does Quartus, the brother. 16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen. 16:25 *
Notes:
[1] back to 1:17 Habakkuk 2:4
[2] back to 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12
[3] back to 2:24 Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22
[4] back to 3:4 Psalm 51:4
[5] back to 3:12 Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecclesiastes 7:20
[6] back to 3:13 Psalm 5:9
[7] back to 3:13 Psalm 140:3
[8] back to 3:14 Psalm 10:7
[9] back to 3:17 Isaiah 59:7-8
[10] back to 3:18 Psalm 36:1
[11] back to 3:25 or, a propitiation
[12] back to 4:3 Genesis 15:6
[13] back to 4:8 Psalm 32:1-2
[14] back to 4:17 Genesis 17:5
[15] back to 4:18 Genesis 15:5
[16] back to 4:22 Genesis 15:6
[17] back to 7:1 The word for "brothers" here and where context allows may also be correctly translated "brothers and sisters" or "siblings."
[18] back to 7:7 Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21