Focused Passage

Romans 15:14-21

Bearing with the Weak, Welcoming One Another, and Paul’s Priestly Mission to the Gentiles

Paul moves from the strong bearing with the weak, to Christ's self-denying example, to Scripture's role in endurance, encouragement, and hope, to a prayer for unified worship, to the command to accept one another as Christ accepted them, to Christ's ministry to Jews and Gentiles, to Old Testament proof of Gentile praise, to Paul's apostolic priestly mission, to his ambition to preach where Christ is not named, to his plans for Jerusalem, Rome, and Spain, and finally to a request for prayer and a blessing of peace.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, brimming with knowledge, and able to instruct one another.

15 However, I have written you a bold reminder on some points, because of the grace God has given me

16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

17 Therefore I exult in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

18 I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,

19 by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

20 In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.

21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Original words

- δέ G1161 Conjunction - καὶ G2532 Conjunction I ἐγὼ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular myself αὐτὸς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular am convinced Πέπεισμαι G3982 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular - περὶ G4012 Preposition - ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural my μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular brothers ἀδελφοί G80 Noun - Vocative Masculine Plural that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction you yourselves αὐτοὶ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction are ἐστε G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural full μεστοί G3324 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural of goodness ἀγαθωσύνης G19 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular brimming πεπληρωμένοι G4137 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural with πάσης G3956 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular knowledge γνώσεως G1108 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction able δυνάμενοι G1410 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural to instruct νουθετεῖν G3560 Verb - Present Infinitive Active one another ἀλλήλους G240 Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 15

Original words

However δὲ G1161 Conjunction I have written ἔγραψα G1125 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural a bold τολμηρότερον* G5112 Adverb vvv ὡς G5613 Adverb reminder ἐπαναμιμνήσκων G1878 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular - ὑμᾶς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural on ἀπὸ G575 Preposition some points μέρους G3313 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular because of διὰ G1223 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular grace χάριν G5485 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - ὑπὸ* G5259 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular has given δοθεῖσάν G1325 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Feminine Singular me μοι G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Singular
Verse 16

Original words

- εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular - με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular to be εἶναί G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active a minister λειτουργὸν G3011 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦ G2424 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural Gentiles ἔθνη G1484 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural in the priestly service ἱερουργοῦντα G2418 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular of the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular gospel εὐαγγέλιον G2098 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of God Θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural Gentiles ἐθνῶν G1484 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural might become γένηται G1096 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular [an] offering προσφορὰ G4376 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular acceptable [to God] εὐπρόσδεκτος G2144 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular sanctified ἡγιασμένη G37 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular by ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] Holy Ἁγίῳ G40 Adjective - Dative Neuter Singular Spirit Πνεύματι G4151 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 17

Original words

Therefore οὖν G3767 Conjunction vvv Ἔχω G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular vvv τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular I exult καύχησιν G2746 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition Christ Χριστῷ G5547 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦ G2424 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular in [ my service ] τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural to πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular God Θεόν G2316 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb I will not presume τολμήσω G5111 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to speak λαλεῖν G2980 Verb - Present Infinitive Active of anything τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular except οὐ G3756 Adverb what ὧν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Plural Christ Χριστὸς G5547 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular has accomplished κατειργάσατο G2716 Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular through δι’ G1223 Preposition me ἐμοῦ G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular in leading εἰς G1519 Preposition [the] Gentiles ἐθνῶν G1484 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural to obedience ὑπακοὴν G5218 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular by word λόγῳ G3056 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction deed ἔργῳ G2041 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Verse 19

Original words

by ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] power δυνάμει G1411 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of signs σημείων G4592 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction wonders τεράτων G5059 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural [and] by ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] power δυνάμει G1411 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of [the] Spirit Πνεύματος G4151 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular of God θεοῦ G2316 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular So ὥστε G5620 Conjunction from ἀπὸ G575 Preposition Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλὴμ G2419 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular all the way καὶ G2532 Conjunction around κύκλῳ G2945 Adverb to μέχρι G3360 Preposition - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Singular Illyricum Ἰλλυρικοῦ G2437 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular I με G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular have fully proclaimed πεπληρωκέναι G4137 Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular gospel εὐαγγέλιον G2098 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of Christ Χριστοῦ G5547 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • SBL the power of the Spirit; NE and WH the power of the Holy Spirit
Verse 20

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction In this way οὕτως G3779 Adverb I have aspired φιλοτιμούμενον G5389 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular to preach the gospel εὐαγγελίζεσθαι G2097 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle where ὅπου G3699 Adverb Christ Χριστός G5547 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular vvv οὐχ G3756 Adverb was not known ὠνομάσθη G3687 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction vvv μὴ G3361 Adverb I would not be building οἰκοδομῶ G3618 Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular on ἐπ’ G1909 Preposition someone [else’s] ἀλλότριον G245 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular foundation θεμέλιον G2310 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 21

Original words

Rather ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction as καθὼς G2531 Adverb it is written γέγραπται G1125 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular Those who «οἷς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb were not told ἀνηγγέλη G312 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular about περὶ G4012 Preposition Him αὐτοῦ» G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular will see Ὄψονται G3708 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction those who οἳ G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb have not heard ἀκηκόασιν G191 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural will understand συνήσουσιν G4920 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • Isaiah 52:15 (see also LXX)

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.