Thrive Creative Journaling Devotional Bible - Flipbook - Page 33
page 1415 . . . ROMANS
other all about them. 15Even so, I have been
bold enough to write about some of these
points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16I am a special
messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles.
I bring you the Good News so that I might
present you as an acceptable offering to God,
made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus
has done through me in my service to God.
18Yet I dare not boast about anything except
what Christ has done through me, bringing
the Gentiles to God by my message and by
the way I worked among them. 19They were
convinced by the power of miraculous signs
and wonders and by the power of God’s
Spirit.* In this way, I have fully presented
the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all
the way to Illyricum.*
20My ambition has always been to preach
the Good News where the name of Christ
has never been heard, rather than where a
church has already been started by someone
else. 21I have been following the plan spoken
of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about
him will see,
and those who have never heard of
him will understand.”*
22In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so
long because I have been preaching in these
places.
Paul’s Travel Plans
now I have finished my work in these
regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. 24I am planning
to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in
Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellow
ship for a little while, you can provide for my
journey.
25 But before I come, I must go to Jeru
salem to take a gift to the believers* there.
26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia
and Achaia* have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jeru
salem. 27They were glad to do this because
they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since
the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings
of the Good News from the believers in Je
rusalem, they feel the least they can do in
23But
16
return is to help them financially. 28As soon
as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to
see you on my way to Spain. 29And I am sure
that when I come, Christ will richly bless our
time together.
30Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in
my struggle by praying to God for me. Do
this because of your love for me, given to
you by the Holy Spirit. 31Pray that I will be
rescued from those in Judea who refuse to
obey God. Pray also that the believers there
will be willing to accept the donation* I am
taking to Jerusalem. 32Then, by the will of
God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement
to each other.
33 And now may God, who gives us his
peace, be with you all. Amen.*
Paul Greets His Friends
I commend to you our sister Phoebe,
who is a deacon in the church in Cen
chrea. 2Welcome her in the Lord as one who
is worthy of honor among God’s people.
Help her in whatever she needs, for she has
been helpful to many, and especially to me.
3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aq
uila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ
Jesus. 4In fact, they once risked their lives for
me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the
Gentile churches. 5Also give my greetings to
the church that meets in their home.
Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was
the first person from the province of Asia to
become a follower of Christ. 6Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for
your benefit. 7Greet Andronicus and Junia,*
my fellow Jews,* who were in prison with
me. They are highly respected among the
apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. 8Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend
in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our co-worker
in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.
10Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ
approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.
11Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.* Greet the
Lord’s people from the household of Narcissus. 12Give my greetings to Tryphena and Try
phosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis,
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15:19a Other manuscripts read the Spirit; still others read the Holy Spirit. 15:19b Illyricum was a region northeast of Italy. 15:21 Isa
52:15 (Greek version). 15:25 Greek God’s holy people; also in 15:26, 31. 15:26 Macedonia and Achaia were the northern and southern
regions of Greece. 15:31 Greek the ministry; other manuscripts read the gift. 15:33 Some manuscripts do not include Amen. One very
early manuscript places 16:2527 here. 16:7a Junia is a feminine name. Some late manuscripts accent the word so it reads Junias, a
masculine name; still others read Julia (feminine). 16:7b Or compatriots; also in 16:21. 16:11 Or compatriot.
