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Romans 15: One Voice of Praise

The strong bear with the weak after Christ's example, Jew and Gentile glorify God together, and Paul shares his ministry plans and longing to visit Rome.

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Romans 15 (WEB)

1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let each one of us please his neighbor for that which is good, to be building him up.

3 For even Christ didn’t please himself. But, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that through patience and through encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 Now the God of patience and of encouragement grant you to be of the same mind one with another according to Christ Jesus,

6 that with one accord you may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, that he might confirm the promises given to the fathers,

9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore will I give praise to you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

10 Again he says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

11 Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

12 Again, Isaiah says, “There will be the root of Jesse, he who arises to rule over the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

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

14 I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others.

15 But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God,

16 that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 I have therefore my boasting in Christ Jesus in things pertaining to God.

18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,

19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of God’s Spirit; so that from Jerusalem, and around as far as to Illyricum, I have fully preached the Good News of Christ;

20 yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

21 But, as it is written, “They will see, to whom no news of him came. They who haven’t heard will understand.”

22 Therefore also I was hindered these many times from coming to you,

23 but now, no longer having any place in these regions, and having these many years a longing to come to you,

24 whenever I journey to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.

25 But now, I say, I am going to Jerusalem, serving the saints.

26 For it has been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are at Jerusalem.

27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to serve them in fleshly things.

28 When therefore I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on by way of you to Spain.

29 I know that, when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of the Good News of Christ.

30 Now I beg you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,

31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints;

32 that I may come to you in joy through the will of God, and together with you, find rest.

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

Summary

Paul continues the theme of mutual love. Those who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not merely please themselves, for even Christ did not please himself but bore reproaches for others. The Scriptures were written to give us endurance and encouragement so that we might have hope, and Paul prays that the God of endurance and encouragement would grant the church to live in harmony, with one voice glorifying God. Therefore they are to welcome one another as Christ welcomed them, for Christ became a servant to the Jews to confirm God's promises and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, fulfilling the Scriptures that the nations would praise the Lord and hope in the root of Jesse. Paul prays that the God of hope would fill them with all joy and peace in believing. He then speaks of his own ministry as a priest of the gospel to the Gentiles, boasting only in what Christ has accomplished through him from Jerusalem to Illyricum, always preaching where Christ was not yet named. This is why he has been delayed in coming to Rome, but now he hopes to visit on his way to Spain, after first delivering the contribution gathered from Macedonia and Achaia for the poor saints in Jerusalem. He asks for their prayers that he may be delivered from danger and come to them in joy, and closes with a blessing of peace.

Key Figures

  • Paul — The apostle and priest of the gospel to the Gentiles who calls the strong to serve the weak and shares his mission plans and longing to visit Rome.
  • Christ the servant — The one who did not please himself but bore reproaches and became a servant to confirm God's promises and bring mercy to the Gentiles.
  • Jew and Gentile together — The peoples united in one voice of praise, fulfilling Scripture's promise that the nations would glorify God for his mercy.
  • The saints in Jerusalem — The poor believers for whom Macedonia and Achaia gathered a contribution that Paul is bringing before he travels on.

Key Verse

Romans 15:7 (WEB)

Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

Lessons Learned

  • The strong should bear with the weak, following Christ who did not please himself.
  • Scripture is given to produce endurance, encouragement, and hope.
  • We are to welcome one another as Christ welcomed us, to the glory of God.
  • Christ's mercy unites Jew and Gentile to praise God together with one voice.
  • Bear with the weak. "We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (Romans 15:1, WEB). Strength is for serving others, not for self-indulgence.
  • Christ is our pattern. "For even Christ didn't please himself" (Romans 15:3, WEB). The self-giving of Jesus shapes how we treat one another.
  • Welcome one another. "Accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God" (Romans 15:7, WEB). Our acceptance of others mirrors and magnifies Christ's acceptance of us.
  • Hope overflows by the Spirit. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13, WEB). Christian hope is a Spirit-given abundance, not wishful thinking.
  1. What does it look like for the strong to "bear the weaknesses of the weak" (15:1-3)?
  2. How do the Scriptures give us "endurance" and "hope" (15:4)?
  3. Why is mutual welcome "to the glory of God" (15:7), and how does Christ model it?
  4. How does Paul describe his ministry and his plans in verses 14-29?
  5. How might you help unite, rather than divide, the people God has placed around you?
  1. Bearing with the weak means the strong willingly limit themselves and carry others' burdens rather than insisting on their own way, following Christ who bore reproaches for us (15:1-3). It is active, costly love. Strength becomes a gift for the community rather than a privilege for self.
  2. Paul says the Scriptures were written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement they give we might have hope (15:4). God's word sustains us through trials. Regular feeding on Scripture builds the hope that carries us forward.
  3. Welcoming one another glorifies God because it displays the welcome Christ has given us, drawing both Jew and Gentile into one praising community (15:7-9). Our acceptance of others puts the gospel on display. When the church embraces across differences, God receives the glory.
  4. Paul describes himself as a priest of the gospel to the Gentiles, eager to preach where Christ is unknown, and shares his plans to visit Rome on the way to Spain after delivering the gift for Jerusalem's poor (15:14-29). His life is ordered around the mission. It models gospel ambition joined with practical care for the needy.
  5. This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name one relationship or setting where they could foster harmony rather than division. Encourage them to follow Christ's pattern of self-giving welcome, trusting God to use them as peacemakers.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (WEB), the King James Version (KJV), and the American Standard Version (ASV), all of which are in the public domain.