Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,1 that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to hinstruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of ithe grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus jto the Gentiles in the priestly service of the kgospel of God, so that lthe offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what mChrist has accomplished through me to nbring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 oby the power of signs and wonders, pby the power of the Spirit of God—so that qfrom Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, rnot where Christ has already been named, lest I sbuild on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written,
t“Those who have never been told of him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.”
Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome
22 This is the reason why uI have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 vI hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem wbringing aid to the saints. 26 xFor Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For yif the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,2 I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing3 of Christ.
30 zI appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the alove of the Spirit, bto cstrive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be ddelivered from the eunbelievers in Judea, and that my service ffor Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and gbe hrefreshed in your company. 33 May the iGod of peace be with you all. Amen.
Personal Greetings
1 jI commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant1 of the church at kCenchreae, 2 that you may lwelcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.
3 Greet mPrisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who nrisked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also othe church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert2 to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia,3 my kinsmen and my pfellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles,4 and they were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers5 who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 qGreet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
Final Instructions and Greetings
17 rI appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who scause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own tappetites,6 and by usmooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For vyour obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and winnocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon xcrush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21 yTimothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 zI Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 aGaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.7
Doxology
25 bNow to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept csecret for long ages 26 but has now been ddisclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the eobedience of faith— 27 fto the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
