Romans 15:1
Ὀφείλομεν δὲ, ἡμεῖς οἱ δυνατοὶ, τὰ ἀσθενήματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκειν.
Romans 15:2
ἕκαστος ἡμῶν τῷ πλησίον ἀρεσκέτω, εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν, πρὸς οἰκοδομήν.
Romans 15:3
καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς οὐχ ἑαυτῷ ἤρεσεν, ἀλλὰ καθὼς γέγραπται· Οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσαν ἐπ’ ἐμέ.
Romans 15:4
ὅσα γὰρ προεγράφη, (πάντα) εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν διδασκαλίαν ἐγράφη, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως τῶν γραφῶν, τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχωμεν.
Romans 15:5
Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς παρακλήσεως, δῴη ὑμῖν τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν ἐν ἀλλήλοις, κατὰ Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν,
Romans 15:6
ἵνα ὁμοθυμαδὸν, ἐν ἑνὶ στόματι, δοξάζητε τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Romans 15:7
Διὸ προσλαμβάνεσθε ἀλλήλους καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς προσελάβετο ὑμᾶς*, εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Romans 15:8
λέγω γὰρ, Χριστὸν διάκονον γεγενῆσθαι περιτομῆς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας Θεοῦ, εἰς τὸ βεβαιῶσαι τὰς ἐπαγγελίας τῶν πατέρων,
Romans 15:9
τὰ δὲ ἔθνη, ὑπὲρ ἐλέους, δοξάσαι τὸν Θεόν, καθὼς γέγραπται· Διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν ἔθνεσιν, καὶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου ψαλῶ.
Romans 15:10
Καὶ πάλιν λέγει· Εὐφράνθητε ἔθνη, μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.
Romans 15:11
Καὶ πάλιν· Αἰνεῖτε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, τὸν Κύριον· καὶ ἐπαινεσάτωσαν αὐτὸν, πάντες οἱ λαοί.
Romans 15:12
Καὶ πάλιν, Ἠσαΐας λέγει· Ἔσται ἡ ῥίζα τοῦ Ἰεσσαί, καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν· ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν.
Romans 15:13
Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς ἐλπίδος πληρώσαι ὑμᾶς πάσης χαρᾶς καὶ εἰρήνης, ἐν τῷ πιστεύειν· εἰς τὸ περισσεύειν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐλπίδι ἐν δυνάμει Πνεύματος Ἁγίου.
Romans 15:14
Πέπεισμαι δέ, ἀδελφοί μου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ μεστοί ἐστε ἀγαθωσύνης, πεπληρωμένοι πάσης τῆς γνώσεως, δυνάμενοι καὶ ἀλλήλους νουθετεῖν.
Romans 15:15
τολμηρότερον* δὲ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν, ἀπὸ μέρους, ὡς ἐπαναμιμνήσκων ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι ὑπὸ* τοῦ Θεοῦ
Romans 15:16
εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ.
Romans 15:17
Ἔχω οὖν τὴν καύχησιν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν.
Romans 15:18
οὐ γὰρ τολμήσω τι λαλεῖν, ὧν οὐ κατειργάσατο Χριστὸς δι’ ἐμοῦ, εἰς ὑπακοὴν ἐθνῶν, λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ,
Romans 15:19
ἐν δυνάμει σημείων καὶ τεράτων, ἐν δυνάμει Πνεύματος [θεοῦ]· ὥστε με ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ, καὶ κύκλῳ μέχρι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ, πεπληρωκέναι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
Paraphrase:
Comments:
Romans 15:20
οὕτως δὲ φιλοτιμούμενον εὐαγγελίζεσθαι οὐχ ὅπου ὠνομάσθη Χριστός, ἵνα μὴ ἐπ’ ἀλλότριον θεμέλιον οἰκοδομῶ.
Romans 15:21
ἀλλὰ, καθὼς γέγραπται· Ὄψονται, «οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ»· καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν.
Romans 15:22
Διὸ καὶ ἐνεκοπτόμην τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
Therefore, even I was prevented many times to come to you.
Paraphrase: As a result of my evangelistic work (Romans 15:19), I simply could not make the trip to Rome. I can’t tell you how many times I tried to fit such a trip into my plans, but there was just too much work to be done here.
Comments:
Louw & Nida’s lexicon says that διο is an emphatic marker of a result, usually denoting that the inference is self-evident.
Romans 15:23
Νυνὶ δὲ, μηκέτι τόπον ἔχων ἐν τοῖς κλίμασι τούτοις, ἐπιποθίαν δὲ ἔχων τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ ἱκανῶν ἐτῶν,
But now, no longer having place in these regions, now having an intense desire to come to you from many years.
Paraphrase: Now, however, things are starting to change. My sense is that my work here is drawing to a close, and it is time for me to move to new frontiers. (Romans 15:20) My earnest desire to visit you all, which I have had for many years, can now be satisfied.
Comments:
Romans 15:24
ὡς ἂν πορεύωμαι εἰς τὴν Σπανίαν ἐλπίζω γὰρ διαπορευόμενος θεάσασθαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ ὑφ’ ὑμῶν προπεμφθῆναι ἐκεῖ, ἐὰν ὑμῶν πρῶτον ἀπὸ μέρους ἐμπλησθῶ.
Whenever I go into Spain, for I hope, while passing through, to see you and by you to be escorted there when by you first in part I am satisfied.
Paraphrase: My plan is to preach the gospel in Spain; and on the way there, I hope to stop in and see you all. My hope is that you will agree to be my sending church and to provide me with some support for my mission to Spain. If you are willing to do this, I would be so pleased.
Comments:
Moulton & Milligan list ἀπὸ μέρους as an adverbial phrase. (p399)
Note the anacoluthon; see Bullinger or Smyth §3005.
The support of the churches for ministry work is a common theme: Acts 15:3; 17:14; 20:38; 21:5; 1 Corinthians 16:6, 11; 3 John 6.
Romans 15:25
Νυνὶ δὲ πορεύομαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ, διακονῶν τοῖς ἁγίοις.
But now, I go to Jerusalem serving the saints.
Paraphrase: Before I start out for Spain, however, I need to deliver the money the churches collected (1 Corinthians 16:1-4) for the suffering saints in Jerusalem. (Acts 24:17)
Comments:
Romans 15:26
εὐδόκησαν γὰρ Μακεδονία καὶ Ἀχαΐα κοινωνίαν τινὰ ποιήσασθαι εἰς τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ.
For Macedonia and Acaia were pleased to make some contribution for the poor of the saints, the ones in Jerusalem.
Paraphrase: This gift came from the saints in both north and southern Greece. They had heard of the suffering of the believers in Jerusalem and were eager to send a gift to help them.
Comments:
The cities Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Neapolis, Amphipolis, and Apollonia would have been in the north while Athens, Corinth, and Cenchrea were in the south.
Romans 15:27
εὐδόκησαν γάρ, καὶ ὀφειλέται εἰσὶν αὐτῶν. εἰ γὰρ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς αὐτῶν ἐκοινώνησαν τὰ ἔθνη, ὀφείλουσιν καὶ ἐν τοῖς σαρκικοῖς λειτουργῆσαι αὐτοῖς.
For they were pleased and are their debtors. For if in their spiritual things the gentiles shared, they ought even in the carnal things to serve.
Paraphrase: Yes, they were eager to help and why shouldn’t they have been? It was the beloved saints at Jerusalem who first taught the people in Rome (Acts 2:10) to seek after God and to receive from Him all the blessings of salvation. For this, they are forever indebted to them. Now having been so blessed spiritually, why should they not do what they can to relieve the physical needs of their brothers and sisters who are in so much hardship?
Comments:
Romans 15:28
Τοῦτο οὖν ἐπιτελέσας καὶ σφραγισάμενος αὐτοῖς τὸν καρπὸν τοῦτον, ἀπελεύσομαι δι’ ὑμῶν εἰς Σπανίαν.
Therefore, completing this and sealing to them this fruit, I will set out, through you, to Spain.
Paraphrase: So once I have delivered to the saints in Jerusalem the result of the generosity of the Grecian believers, I will head west. I need to make this delivery myself to ensure that it is delivered in its entirety and without any tampering. Then, I will turn west and head for Rome. I so look forward to meeting you all; then, onwards to Spain!
Comments:
What was being sealed here? Murray says the love of the Christian donors is sealed. Calvin (p536) that Paul’s own integrity is sealed. Diessmann (p238) that the correctness of the contents is guaranteed.
Romans 15:29
οἶδα δὲ ὅτι ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἐν πληρώματι εὐλογίας Χριστοῦ ἐλεύσομαι.
Now I know that, coming to you, I will come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.
Paraphrase: Now you can be sure of this. When I finally do arrive in Rome, I will bring with me all the fullness of the blessings that we have by our union with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3) You should prepare to receive these (Romans 1:11) because we know that our God loves to lavish all these on us (Ephesians 1:6-8) when we humbly turn to Him and ask for His grace. (Luke 11:9-13)
Comments:
Interpreting this verse in light of Romans 1:11, blessing would be the blessings which Christ gives to His people in the gospel.
- εὐλογίας is a genitive of apposition; the fullness which is the blessing
- Χριστοῦ is a subjective genitive; the blessing which Christ gives.
Romans 15:30
Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ Πνεύματος, συναγωνίσασθαί μοι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν,
Now I exhort you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to struggle with me in prayers for me to God.
Paraphrase: Now, brothers, I beg you to join me in my wrestling before God in prayers. When I think of all that Christ has done for us (Galatians 3:13) and all what He has promised us (Matthew 28:20), then I must pray on. When I think of all that the Holy Spirit does for us before the throne of God (Romans 8:26), then I am encouraged to pray on. Please join me, brothers; we never know what a day will bring forth. Pray that God will keep us faithful (Jude 24-25; Philippians 1:9-11 ) and that His word might bear fruit amongst the nations. (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
Comments:
Romans 15:31
ἵνα ῥυσθῶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπειθούντων ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ, καὶ ἡ διακονία μου, ἡ εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ, εὐπρόσδεκτος τοῖς ἁγίοις γένηται,
In order that I might be rescued from the disobedient in Judea and that my ministry, the one to Jerusalem, might be well-received by the saints.
Paraphrase: Pray that I might be rescued from the hands of those who would do me harm. There are so many of my countrymen who do not obey the gospel of Christ (2 Thessalonians 1:8) and are determined to silence me by any means. Pray that the gift I am bringing to Jerusalem would reach them safely and that it would be acceptable to them.
Comments:
Romans 15:32
ἵνα ἐν χαρᾷ, ἐλθὼν πρὸς ὑμᾶς διὰ θελήματος Θεοῦ, συναναπαύσωμαι ὑμῖν.
In order that in joy, coming to you through the will of God, I might be refreshed with you.
Paraphrase: Pray that I would safely reach you in Rome and that, by the good pleasure of our God and in His time, I might embrace you and rejoice with you together. Together, we can take courage in God and be refreshed by His mercies. (1 Samuel 30:6)
Comments:
Romans 15:33
Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν. ἀμήν.
Now the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.
Paraphrase: Now may God be with you all; the same God who has reconciled all things to Himself, making peace by the blood of the cross. (Colossians 1:20 Ephesians 2:14)
Comments: