<< Romans 15 >>
The Mirror Translation | |
15:1 We who are strong in faith are obliged to lift up those who are weak, to seek their advantage and not our own.
15:2 Every one of us are to please our fellowman and consider his good and benefit.
15:3 For Christ was not in it for Himself, but for us. It is written about Him, that He took the full blow of the reproach and insults directed at us.
15:4 Whatever was written about Him includes and represents us. We take instruction and encouragement from His patience, while Scripture is our close companion to remind us of our true spiritual identity. We anticipate the future with delight.
15:5 God's patience and reflection of who we really are, transmits in us like-mindedness toward one another according to the pattern of Christ Jesus.
15:6 The opinion of God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, speaks one universal language in us inspired by the same passion.
15:7 This gives us all the more reason to embrace one another in friendship with the same warmth wherewith Christ embraced us into the welcome of God.
15:8 I am convinced that the ministry of Jesus Christ was confirmation to the circumcised Jews of the truth of God's promises unto their fathers.
15:9 So also will the Gentile nations glorify God for His mercy towards them. David prophesied the resonance and echo of praise in the Gentile nations who would discover their true identity in His name. (see also Ps.22:27)
15:10 Again scripture reveals in Deut.32:43 that the Gentiles will join in celebration as they too are co-revealed as His people. (See context of Deut.32)
15:11 Yet again in Psalm 117:1 the Gentiles are exhorted to give God praise and to join in the universal applause of all the peoples of the earth.
15:12 The prophet Isaiah sees the root of Jesse who shall rise out of the ground where it was cut off, to reign over the Gentiles, He will win their trust. Is.11:1,10.
15:13 God who is the engineer of expectation fills you to the brim with tranquil delight. The dynamic of the Holy Spirit causes faith to exceed any possible hesitation in hope.
15:14 I am totally persuaded about you my brothers that you are able to mutually instruct one another in the full measure of the knowledge of everything that is good in you.
15:15 God's gift of grace is the motivation of my writing to you; I urge you to remember your allotted portion in life.
15:16 It is because of Jesus Christ that I am in the people business. I occupy this priestly office representing the goodness of God to the Gentiles, persuading them to see how presentable and approved they are to God being purified in the Holy Spirit.
15:17 Because of who I am in Christ Jesus, I have taken a bold stand before God.
15:18 I could entertain you with all the detail of my personal adventures, yet all I desire to communicate is how actively Christ worked through my words to grab the attention of the nations.
15:19 The message was confirmed in every sign and miracle in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus I went full circle from Jerusalem to Illyricum, proclaiming the glad tidings of Christ in its most complete context.
15:20 I have placed such fond value on the fact that I could pioneer the glad tidings in many of these areas without building on someone else’s interpretation of Christ.
15:21 Isaiah prophesied that "Those who have never been told about Him, will be startled to see Him clearly, even though they have never heard of Him, they will understand His message."
15:22 Now you know why it took me so long to finally get to you.
15:23 There seems to be no more room for pioneering work in these regions, after these many years I can finally fulfill my dream.
15:24 I purpose to journey all the way through Italy to Spain, but it is with great delight that I look forward to meeting with you first and enjoy a rich measure of fellowship that will again propel me onward.
15:25 Right now I am on my way to Jerusalem to encourage the saints.
15:26 The believers in Greece, all the way from Macedonia as well as those in Achaia have prepared a gift with great delight to bring relief to their Jewish brothers in Jerusalem who are struggling financially.
15:27 They feel indebted to them since they share freely in their spiritual wealth.
15:28 As soon as I have delivered their harvest officially, I will depart to Spain via you.
15:29 I know that my coming to you will be like a cargo ship filled to the brim with the blessing of everything that the Gospel of Christ communicates.
15:30 Being co-identified with you as members of a godly family through our Lord Jesus Christ and feeling the same spiritual love-bond toward one another, we are prayer partners before God joined in urgent passion.
15:31 Strive with me that I will be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, and also that my service to the saints in Jerusalem will be favorably received.
15:32 Through the pleasure of God's purpose I will arrive in Rome in joy so that we may be mutually refreshed in one another's company.
15:33 God who sustains us in oneness and peace is with every one of you. Amen.
Notes on Romans 15
15:15 “God's gift of grace is the motivation of my writing to you; I urge you to remember your allotted portion in life.”
Gr.meros, allotted portion, note the word translated, sin, is hameros, which means to be without your allotted portion. Every sin springs thus from man's sense of unfulfilment and lack, due to ignorance concerning those things which rightfully belong to him, his true spiritual identity, his innocence and his partaking of the Divine nature and inheritance in Christ.
15:19 “The message was confirmed in every sign and miracle in the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus I went full circle from Jerusalem to Illyricum, proclaiming the glad tidings of Christ in its most complete context.”
Taking Jerusalem as a center, Paul preached not only in Damascus and Arabia, but in Syria, in Asia Minor, in all Greece, in the Grecian Islands, and in Thessaly and Macedonia. Illyricum was a country of Europe, extending from the Adriatic gulf to Pannonia, it extended from the river Arsia to the river Drinius, thus including Liburnia on the west, and Dalmatia on the east. It now forms part of Croatia, Bosnia, Istria, and Slavonia.
15:21 “Isaiah prophesied that "Those who have never been told about Him, will be startled to see Him clearly, even though they have never heard of Him, they will understand His message." (Is.52:15)
The message of truth speaks a universal language.
Paul says that the open statement of the truth, which is the Word made flesh in us in the mirror reflection of Christ, appeals to every man’s conscience. (2Cor.4:2) “Our lives are letters known and read by all men.” (2Cor.3:2)
15:29 “I know that my coming to you will be like a cargo ship filled to the brim with the blessing of everything that the Gospel of Christ communicates.”
Gr.pleroma those things with which a ship is filled, freight, merchandise etc.
15:33 “God who sustains us in oneness and peace is with every one of you.”
Gr.eirene, peace from eiro, to join.
