¹ In fact, we who have power^a owe it to provide support with what those who do not have power lack and not just strive to please ourselves. ² Each of us should strive to please their neighbor with building them up for their benefit. ³ Even Christ did not just strive to please himself, but just like it is written, “The insults of those who insult you fell on me.”^{b 4} All of what has already been written was written for our instruction^c so that through the endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we could have the hope.^{d 5} May the God of endurance and encouragement give you the same thinking with regard to each other based on Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that with a common purpose, as with one mouth, you would make known the praiseworthiness of^e the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ With that in mind, welcome each other, just as Christ also welcomed you, resulting in praise for God. ⁸ for I say, “The fact that Christ became a servant of the circumcised for the sake of the truth of God results in confirming the promises to the ancestors, ⁹ and the fact that the other people groups are making known the praiseworthiness of God for the sake of loving faithfulness does so too,” just as it is written, “Because of this I will publicly acknowledge you among other people groups, and I will sing praises to your name.”^{f 10} And again it says, “Be delighted, other peoples, along with his people.”^{g 11} And again, “Commend the Lord, all you other peoples, and recommend him, all peoples.”^{h 12} And again, Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will be present—the one who rises upⁱ to lead the other peoples; The other peoples will place their hope in him.”^{j 13} Now, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Sacred Life-breath.

¹⁴ My Family, I myself have been convinced about you that you yourselves are full of goodness to others,^k having been filled with complete understanding, even being able to instruct each other. ¹⁵ I have written to you more boldly in some parts as a reminder for you because of the generosity given to me by God ¹⁶ for me to be a representative servant of Christ Jesus for other people groups, acting as a priest presenting the triumphant message of God so that the offering of the other people groups would be acceptable, having been designated as sacred by the Sacred Life-breath. ¹⁷ Therefore, I have bragging rights in connection with Christ Jesus about the things pertaining to God ¹⁸ since I will not bring myself to speak anything except what Christ accomplished through me resulting in the other people groups listening, by speech and action, ¹⁹ with the power of signs and miracles, by the power of the Life-breath of God. Therefore, it has been me fulfilling the triumphant message of Christ from Jerusalem and all around it as far as Illyricum.^{l 20} In the same way, I would like the honor of announcing the triumphant message where Christ hasn’t been named so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation, ²¹ yet just as it is written, “Those who did not receive the announcement about him will see, and those who have not heard will put it together.”^m

²² That’s the very reason why I have been blocked over and over again from coming to you. ²³ But now, since there is no longer anything holding me in these regions, and since I have been longing to come to you for many years, ²⁴ when I travel to Spain, I hope both to see you when I pass through and also to travel there with your support once I have satisfied my desire to be with you first.

²⁵ However, now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve those designated for sacred purposes ²⁶ since Macedonia and Achaia were willing to do something as a community for those experiencing poverty among those designated for sacred purposes in Jerusalem. ²⁷ They were willing and also owe itⁿ to them. You see, if the other people groups participated in^o their^p things connected with the Life-breath, then they also owe it to provide service as representatives to them in connection with bodily things. ²⁸ Therefore, after I complete this and make sure this fruit gets to them, I will leave for Spain by your way. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you, I will come with Christ’s complete well-wishes.^q

³⁰ I encourage you, Family, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Life-breath to strive together alongside me with prayers to God on my behalf ³¹ that I would be rescued from those who refuse to be persuaded in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem would be acceptable to those designated for sacred purposes, ³² so when I come to you joyfully by God’s desire I may relax with you.^{r 33} May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.