The Law of Love

14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus pthat there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. qDo not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 rTherefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 sfor the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and tpeace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in 5these things uis acceptable to God and approved by men.

19 vTherefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which wone may 6edify another. 20 xDo not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. yAll things indeed are pure, zbut it is evil for the man who eats with 7offense. 21 It is good neither to eat ameat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles 8or is offended or is made weak. 22 9Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. bHappy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for cwhatever is not from faith is 1sin.

Bearing Others’ Burdens

15 We athen who are strong ought to bear with the 1scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 bLet each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to 2edification. 3 cFor even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, d“The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For ewhatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the 3patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 fNow may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may gwith one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glorify God Together

7 Therefore hreceive one another, just ias Christ also received 4us, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that jJesus Christ has become a 5servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, kto confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and lthat the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:

m“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,

And sing to Your name.”

10 And again he says:

n“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”

11 And again:

o“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!

Laud Him, all you peoples!”

12 And again, Isaiah says:

p“There shall be a root of Jesse;

And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,

In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all qjoy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

14 Now rI myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, sfilled with all knowledge, able also to admonish 6one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, tbecause of the grace given to me by God, 16 that uI might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the voffering 7of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus win the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things xwhich Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, yto make the Gentiles obedient—19 zin mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, alest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written:

b“To whom He was not announced, they shall see;

And those who have not heard shall understand.”

Plan to Visit Rome

22 For this reason cI also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and dhaving a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, 8I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, eand to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may fenjoy your company for a while. 25 But now gI am going to Jerusalem to 9minister to the saints. 26 For hit pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For iif the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, jtheir duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them kthis fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 lBut I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing 1of the gospel of Christ.

30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and mthrough the love of the Spirit, nthat you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 othat I may be delivered from those in Judea who 2do not believe, and that pmy service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 qthat I may come to you with joy rby the will of God, and may sbe refreshed together with you. 33 Now tthe God of peace be with you all. Amen.