1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up. 3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through perseverance and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now the God of perseverance and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
"Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles
and sing to your name."
10 Again he says,
"Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people."
11 Again,
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Let all the peoples praise him."
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."
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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 But I write the more boldly to you in part as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, 16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God. 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, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ; 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. 21 But, as it is written,
"They will see, to whom no news of him came.
They who haven’t heard will understand."
22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you, 23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you, 24 whenever I travel 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. 25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 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. 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 material things. 28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.
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 God for me, 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, 32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
1 En op ons wat sterk is, rus die verpligting om die swakhede te dra van die wat nie sterk is nie, en nie onsself te behaag nie.
2 Want elkeen van ons moet die naaste behaag met die oog op wat goed is tot stigting.
3 Want ook Christus het Homself nie behaag nie, maar soos geskrywe is: Die smaadhede van die wat U smaad, het op My geval.
4 Want alles wat tevore geskrywe is, is tot ons lering tevore geskrywe, sodat ons deur lydsaamheid en bemoediging van die Skrifte hoop kan hê.
5 En mag die God van lydsaamheid en bemoediging aan julle gee om eensgesind onder mekaar te wees ooreenkomstig die wil van Christus Jesus,
6 sodat julle die God en Vader van onse Here Jesus Christus eendragtiglik uit een mond kan verheerlik.
7 Neem daarom mekaar aan, soos Christus ons ook aangeneem het, tot heerlikheid van God.
8 En ek sê dat Jesus Christus 'n dienaar geword het van die besnydenis ter wille van die waaragtigheid van God, om die beloftes aan die vaders te bevestig;
9 en dat die heidene ter wille van sy barmhartigheid God kan verheerlik, soos geskrywe is: Daarom sal ek U loof onder die nasies en tot eer van u Naam psalmsing.
10 En ook sê Hy: Verbly julle, o nasies, saam met sy volk;
11 en ook: Loof die Here, alle nasies, en prys Hom, alle volke.
12 En Jesaja sê ook: Die wortel van Isai sal daar wees, en Hy wat opstaan om oor die nasies te heers, op Hom sal die nasies hoop.
13 En mag die God van die hoop julle vervul met alle blydskap en vrede deur die geloof, dat julle oorvloedig kan wees in die hoop deur die krag van die Heilige Gees!
14 Maar ek self ook, my broeders, is oortuig aangaande julle, dat julle self ook vol van goedheid is, vervuld met alle kennis, in staat om ook mekaar te vermaan.
15 Tog het ek ten dele taamlik gewaag om aan julle te skrywe, broeders, as een wat julle herinner, kragtens die genade wat my deur God gegee is
16 om 'n dienaar van Jesus Christus onder die heidene te wees, 'n dienaar van die evangelie van God, sodat die offer van die heidene welgevallig kan wees, geheilig deur die Heilige Gees.
17 Ek het dan rede om te roem in Christus Jesus, in die dinge aangaande God.
18 Want ek sal nie waag om iets te sê van dinge wat Christus nie deur my gewerk het nie om die heidene tot gehoorsaamheid te bring, met woord en daad,
19 deur die krag van tekens en wonders, deur die krag van die Gees van God, sodat ek die evangelieverkondiging van Christus volbring het van Jerusalem af en rondom tot by Ill¡rikum;
20 maar so, dat ek my eer daarin gestel het om die evangelie te verkondig, nie waar Christus alreeds bekend was nie om nie op die fondament van 'n ander te bou nie
21 maar soos geskrywe is: Hulle aan wie niks van Hom vertel is nie, sal dit sien; en hulle wat nie gehoor het nie, sal dit verstaan.
22 Daarom is ek ook elke keer verhinder om na julle te kom.
23 Maar nou dat ek geen plek meer het in hierdie streke nie en al baie jare die begeerte het om na julle te kom,
24 sal ek na julle kom wanneer ek na Spanje reis; want ek hoop om julle op my deurreis te sien en deur julle daarheen voortgehelp te word, as ek eers 'n tyd lank van julle geniet het.
25 Maar nou reis ek na Jerusalem in diens van die heiliges.
26 Want Macedonië en Ach je het dit goedgevind om iets by te dra vir die armes onder die heiliges in Jerusalem.
27 Hulle het dit goedgevind, sê ek, en hulle is ook hul skuldenaars; want as die heidene deel gekry het aan hulle geestelike voorregte, is hulle ook verskuldig om hulle met stoflike goedere te dien.
28 As ek dit volbring het en vir hulle hierdie vrug veilig oorgebring het, sal ek by julle langs na Spanje afreis.
29 En ek weet dat as ek na julle kom, ek met die volle seën van die evangelie van Christus sal kom.
30 Maar ek vermaan julle, broeders, by onse Here Jesus Christus en by die liefde van die Gees, om saam met my in die gebede te stry vir my by God,
31 dat ek verlos mag word van die ongehoorsame mense in Judia en dat my diensbetoning aan Jerusalem aanneemlik mag wees vir die heiliges,
32 sodat ek met blydskap deur die wil van God by julle kan kom en my saam met julle kan verkwik.
33 En die God van vrede sy met julle almal! Amen.