1 And we who are able ought to bear the weaknesses of those unable, i and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please the neighbor for the good to edification. ii 3 For even the Christ did not please himself, but just as it has been written, “The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen upon me.” iii 4 For whatever was written before, iv was written for our instruction, v so that through the perseverance and through the comfort vi of the writings we might have hope.
5 And may the God of the perseverance and the comfort give you to the same thinking vii among one another according to Christ Joshua, viii 6 so that in one accord in one mouth you might glorify the God and father of our lord Joshua Christ. 7 Therefore, accept one another, just as the Christ also accepted you unto God's glory.
8 And I say, Christ Joshua to have become a servant of circumcision for God's truth, to confirm the promises of the fathers, 9 and the nations to glorify the God for mercy. Just as it has been written, “Because of this, I will confess ix to you among nations, and to your name I will sing praise.” x 10 And again he says, “Rejoice, nations, with his people.” xi 11 And again, “Praise the lord all you nations, and laud him all you peoples.” xii 12 And again, Isaiah says, “There shall be the root of the Jesse and the one rising to rule nations. Upon him nations will hope.” xiii
13 And may the God of the hope fill you with all joy and peace in the believing, that you may abound in the hope in the power of holy spirit. 14 And I also myself have been persuaded concerning you, my brethren, that you yourselves are also full of goodness, having been filled with all knowledge, being able also to admonish one another.
15 And I wrote more boldly to you, brethren, from part as reminding, through the grace that was given to me from the God 16 for me to be a minister of Joshua Christ for the nations, ministering the good news of the God, that the offering of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified in holy spirit.
17 Therefore, I have a boasting xiv in Christ Joshua of things pertaining to the God. 18 For I will not dare to speak anything of which Christ did not work through me in word and deed for obedience of nations, 19 in power of signs and wonders, in power of God's spirit, so as for me to have fulfilled the good news of the Christ from Jerusalem and round about as far as the Illyricum. xv
20 And so, aspiring to preach good news not where Christ was named, so that I might not build upon another's foundation. 21 But, just as it has been written, “To whom it was not announced concerning him, they will see. And those who had not heard, they will understand.” xvi 22 For this reason I was being hindered many times of which to come to you. 23 But now, no longer having a place in this region, and having a longing of which to come to you for many years, 24 so if I go unto the Spain, xvii I will come to you. For I hope, journeying through, to see you, and to be sent forth there by you, if of you first, in part, I might be filled.
25 And now, I go to Jerusalem, serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a certain contribution for the poor of the saints, those in Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased, and they are their debtors. For if the nations shared in their spiritual things, they ought also to minister to them in the fleshly things.
28 This then completed and this fruit sealed to them, I will go away through you unto the Spain. 29 And I know that coming to you, I will come in fullness of blessing of the good news of the Christ.
30 And I exhort you, brethren, through our lord Joshua Christ and through the love of the spirit, strive together with me in the prayers for me to the God. 31 So that, I might be delivered from those who are disobedient in the Judea, and so that my service, that for Jerusalem, might be acceptable to the saints; 32 so that in joy I might come to you through God's will, and I might be refreshed with you. 33 And the God of the peace be with all of you. Amen.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- ἀδυνάτων (adunatôn) “unable” = in this context those lacking faith (weak in faith). ^
- οἰκοδομήν (oikodomên) “edification” = “building” of Romans 14:9 (see footnote). ^
- Psalm 69:9b ^
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ^
- διδασκαλίαν (didaskalian) “instruction” = “teaching” in Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7; Romans 12:7. ^
- παρακλήσεως (paraklêseôs) “exhortation” YLT; “comfort” NKJV – see footnote for Luke 2:25. ^
- “the same thinking” = Ephesians 4:3 ("keep the unity of the spirit"); 1 Corinthians 1:10 ("speak the same thing", "no divisions", "same mind", "same judgment"); 2 Corinthians 13:11 ("be of one mind"); Philippians 1:27 ("stand fast in one spirit, with one mind"); 2:2 (be "like-minded", "one accord, of one mind"); 3:16 ("be of the same mind"); and 1 Peter 3:8 ("be of one mind"); 1 John 4:6 (“He who knows God hears us”). See also 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Jude 3 (“contend earnestly”). ^
- “according to Christ Joshua” = according to the Word (John 1:1, 14; 14:6 “Truth”; Hebrews 4:12-13; Revelation 19:13). ^
- ἐξομολογήσομαί (exomologêsomai) “confess” NKJV; “give praise” NAS; “give thanks” NOG – translated most often as “confess” (NKJV, e.g. Matthew 3:6), but also as “thank” (e.g. Matthew 11:25). Used in LXX 17:50 (H18:50; E18:49) for אוֹדְךָ (odkhâ) translated “praise” (NKJV, e.g. in Psalm 52:9[H52:11]). ^
- Psalm 18:49 (LXX 17:50) is the same except Paul leaves out “lord,” LXX κύριε (kurie)/ יְהוָה (yehvâh). ^
- Deuteronomy 32:43 ^
- Psalm 117:1 ^
- See Isaiah 11:1-10. ^
- See Jeremiah 9:23-24 (NAS)
23 This is what the Lord says: “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.
- Ἰλλυρικοῦ (illurikou) “Illyricum” - only here. ^
- Isaiah 52:15 ^
- Σπανίαν (Spanian) “Spain”- found also in Romans 15:28. ^
For those who are such do not serve our lord Joshua Christ, but their own belly, and through smooth words and blessing they deceive the hearts of the innocent. -- εὐλογίας (eulogias) "blessing" - same word as e.g. in Romans 15:29 (“blessing”).
These all were continuing with one accord in the prayer and in the supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Joshua, and with his brothers. -- ομοθυμαδον (homothumadon) - “with one accord” - also only found in Acts 2:1 (Majority and Received Texts), 46; 4:24; 5:12; 7:57; 8:6; 12:20; 15:25; 18:12; 19:29; Romans 15:6 (“with one mind”).