Page 341 - Demo

ROMANS 
that the o ering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sancti ed
by the holy Spirit.n 17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in 18
what pertains to God. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,o 19by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit [of God], so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum* I have nished preaching the gospel of Christ. 20Thus I aspire* to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on another’s foundation,p 21but as it is written:q
“Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”*
Paul’s Plans; Need for Prayers. 22That is why I have so often been prevented from coming to you. 23But now, since I no longer have any opportunity in these regions and since I have desired to come to you for many years,r 24I hope to see you in passing
as I go to Spain and to be sent on my way there
by you, after I have enjoyed being with you for a
time.s 25* Now, however, I am going to Jerusalem
to minister to the holy ones.t 26For Macedonia and
Achaia* have decided to make some contribution
for the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem;u
27they decided to do it, and in fact they are
indebted to them, for if the Gentiles have come to
share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also
to serve them in material blessings.v 28So when I
have completed this and safely handed over this
contribution to them, I shall set out by way of you
to Spain; 29and I know that in coming to you I shall come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing.
30I urge you, [brothers,] by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in the struggle by your prayers to God on my behalf,w 31that I may be delivered from the disobedient in Judea, and that my ministry for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the holy ones, 32so that I may come to you with joy by the will of God and be refreshed together with you. 33The God of peace be with all of you. Amen.x
* [15:19] Illyricum: Roman province northwest of Greece on the eastern shore of the Adriatic.
* [15:20] I aspire: Paul uses terminology customarily applied to philanthropists. Unlike some philanthropists of his time, Paul does not engage in cheap competition for public acclaim. This explanation of his missionary policy is to assure the Christians in Rome that he is also not planning to remain in that city and build on other people’s foundations (cf. 2 Cor 10:12–18). However, he does solicit their help in sending him on his way to Spain, which was considered the limit of the western world. Thus Paul’s addressees realize that evangelization may be understood in the broader sense of mission or, as in Rom 1:15, of instruction within the Christian community that derives from the gospel.
n. [15:16] 11:13; Phil 2:17.
o. [15:18] Acts 15:12; 2 Cor 12:12.
p. [15:20] 2 Cor 10:13–18.
q. [15:21] Is 52:15.
r. [15:23] 1:10–13; Acts 19:21–22.
s. [15:24] 1 Cor 16:6.
* [15:21] The citation from Is 52:15 concerns the Servant of the Lord. According to Isaiah, the Servant is rst of all Israel, which was to bring the knowledge of Yahweh to the nations. In Rom 9–11 Paul showed how Israel failed in this mission. Therefore, he himself undertakes almost singlehandedly Israel’s responsibility as the Servant and moves as quickly as possible with the gospel through the Roman empire.
* [15:25–27] Paul may have viewed the contribution he was gathering from Gentile Christians for the poor in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Cor 8–9) as a ful llment of the vision of Is 60:5–6. In con dence that the messianic ful llment was taking place, Paul stresses in Rom 14–16 the importance of harmonious relationships between Jews and Gentiles.
* [15:26] Achaia: the Roman province of southern Greece.
t. [15:25] Acts 19:21; 20:22.
u. [15:26] 1 Cor 16:1; 2 Cor 8:1–4; 9:2, 12.
v. [15:27] 9:4 / 1 Cor 9:11.
w. [15:30] 2 Cor 1:11; Phil 1:27; Col 4:3; 2 Thes 3:1.
x. [15:33] 16:20; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9; 1 Thes 5:23; 2 Thes 3:16; Heb 13:20.
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15:22
Paul explains why he has been delayed in coming to Rome, and his plans for the future: he hopes to be in Rome soon on his way to preach the Gospel in Spain, but must rst go to Jerusalem. The Acts of the Apostles tells the story of what happens on that journey to Jerusalem.
Paul is arrested there, and when he does reach Rome, it is in chains.
The Apostle Paul Preaching, by Luca di Tomme
(about 1 55-1 9)