BOOK 45 OF 66 · PAULINE EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

Romans 15

Romans book home•Chapter 15 of 16•33 verses

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Romans 15 Overview

Paul tells the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak and please neighbors for their good, using Christ’s self-denial as the model. Scripture gives patience and hope, and Paul prays for unified worship among Jews and Gentiles. He strings together Old Testament texts showing Gentiles glorifying God with Israel. Paul then explains his priest-like gospel ministry among the Gentiles, his ambition to preach where Christ is not named, his plan to deliver aid to Jerusalem, and his hope to visit Rome on the way to Spain.

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Before you read Romans 15

Coming from

Paul addresses disputes between believers over eating and observing particular days. The strong must not despise the weak, and the weak must not judge the strong, because each servant stands before the Lord. Every believer will give account to God, so the priority should be not placing a stumbling block before a brother. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Believers should pursue edification and act from faith rather than violate conscience.

In this chapter

Romans 14 urged believers not to destroy fellowship over food and days. Romans 15 continues by placing the burden of loving restraint especially on the strong.

Leads into

Romans 16 closes with a remarkable network of coworkers, warnings against divisive teachers, encouragement in obedience, and a final doxology to God through Jesus Christ.

Key understandingExplore deeper

‘Please his neighbour’ is immediately qualified ‘for his good to edification’; Paul is not teaching people-pleasing that compromises truth.

Paul’s missionary language about offering the Gentiles acceptable to God is priestly metaphor. It does not create a Christian sacrificing priesthood that replaces Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Strength should serve weakness

Maturity is measured by willingness to bear others, not merely by asserting liberty.

Christ is the model of selfless ministry

He did not please Himself but bore reproach in obedience to God.

Scripture creates hope and unity

Old Testament texts are written for learning and converge on Jew-Gentile praise.

Mission seeks unreached fields

Paul’s holy ambition is to preach Christ where He has not been named.

Material fellowship expresses spiritual unity

Gentile churches contribute to poor saints in Jerusalem because they share spiritual blessings.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Psalm 69:9

Paul applies Christ’s bearing of reproach from the psalm.

Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 18:49; 117:1; Isaiah 11:10

Paul collects texts showing Gentiles joining in praise and hope.

Isaiah 52:15

His ambition to preach where Christ is not named echoes the nations seeing what had not been told them.

Acts 20–21

Acts narrates Paul’s journey toward Jerusalem carrying relief and then his arrest.

2 Corinthians 8–9

Paul explains the theology and practice of the Gentile collection for needy saints.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not use bearing the weak to mean truth must never challenge mistaken consciences

Paul seeks edification and unity while still calling some consciences weak.

Do not use “please his neighbour” to justify compromise or fear of man

The goal is the neighbor’s good and building up.

Do not read Paul’s travel plans as guaranteed prophecy

He expresses plans while submitting ministry to God’s providence.

Do not make financial giving a condition for justification

The collection is fellowship and service among already saved churches.

Read Romans 15 watching for…

How the strong should treat the weak.

Christ’s example of not pleasing Himself.

The role of Scripture in patience and hope.

The chain of Jew-Gentile praise texts.

Paul’s missionary ambition and geographic strategy.

The Jerusalem offering and requested prayer.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-7The strong should bear the weak, seek others’ good, and receive one another as Christ received them 8-13Christ confirms God’s promises and brings hope to both Jews and Gentiles 14-21Paul explains his ministry to the Gentiles and desire to preach where Christ was not named 22-33Paul plans to visit Rome after Jerusalem and asks for prayer

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God,

That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed,

Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

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

But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.

For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.

But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;

Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;

That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

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Romans 15:18

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