The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 We who are strong have to be a support to the feeble, and not give pleasure to ourselves.
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We who are strong in the faith ought to help the weak to carry their burdens. We should not please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us give pleasure to his neighbour for his good, to make him strong.
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Instead, we should all please other believers for their own good, in order to build them up in the faith.
3 For Christ did not give pleasure to himself, but, as it is said, The bitter words of those who were angry with you came on me.
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For Christ did not please himself. Instead, as the scripture says, "The insults which are hurled at you have fallen on me."
4 Now those things which were put down in writing before our time were for our learning, so that through quiet waiting and through the comfort of the holy Writings we might have hope.
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Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the Scriptures give us.
5 Now may the God who gives comfort and strength in waiting make you of the same mind with one another in harmony with Christ Jesus:
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And may God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus,
6 So that with one mouth you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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so that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 So then, take one another to your hearts, as Christ took us, to the glory of God.
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Accept one another, then, for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you.
8 Now I say that Christ has been made a servant of the circumcision to give effect to the undertakings given by God to the fathers,
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For I tell you that Christ's life of service was on behalf of the Jews, to show that God is faithful, to make his promises to their ancestors come true,
9 And so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercy; as it is said, For this reason I will give praise to you among the Gentiles, and I will make a song to your name.
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and to enable even the Gentiles to praise God for his mercy. As the scripture says, "And so I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to you."
10 And again he says, Take part, you Gentiles, in the joy of his people.
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Again it says, "Rejoice, Gentiles, with God's people!"
11 And again, Give praise to the Lord, all you Gentiles; and let all the nations give praise to him.
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And again, "Praise the Lord, all Gentiles; praise him, all peoples!"
12 And again Isaiah says, There will be the root of Jesse, and he who comes to be the ruler over the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles put their hope.
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And again, Isaiah says, "A descendant of Jesse will appear; he will come to rule the Gentiles, and they will put their hope in him."
13 Now may the God of hope make you full of joy and peace through faith, so that all hope may be yours in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.
14 And I myself am certain of you, brothers, that you are full of what is good, complete in all knowledge, able to give direction to one another.
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My friends: I myself feel sure that you are full of goodness, that you have all knowledge, and that you are able to teach one another.
15 But I have, in some measure, less fear in writing to you to put these things before you again, because of the grace which was given to me by God,
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But in this letter I have been quite bold about certain subjects of which I have reminded you. I have been bold because of the privilege God has given me
16 To be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, doing the work of a priest in the good news of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be pleasing to God, being made holy by the Holy Spirit.
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of being a servant of Christ Jesus to work for the Gentiles. I serve like a priest in preaching the Good News from God, in order that the Gentiles may be an offering acceptable to God, dedicated to him by the Holy Spirit.
17 So I have pride in Christ Jesus in the things which are God's.
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In union with Christ Jesus, then, I can be proud of my service for God.
18 And I will keep myself from talking of anything but those things which Christ has done by me to put the Gentiles under his rule in word and in act,
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I will be bold and speak only about what Christ has done through me to lead the Gentiles to obey God. He has done this by means of words and deeds,
19 By signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have given all the good news of Christ;
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by the power of miracles and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God. And so, in traveling all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have proclaimed fully the Good News about Christ.
20 Making it my purpose not to take the good news where Christ was named, so that my work might not be resting on that of others;
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My ambition has always been to proclaim the Good News in places where Christ has not been heard of, so as not to build on a foundation laid by someone else.
21 But as it is said in the holy Writings, They will see, to whom the news of him had not been given, and those to whose ears it had not come will have knowledge.
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As the scripture says, "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."
22 For which reason I was frequently kept from coming to you:
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And so I have been prevented many times from coming to you.
23 But now, having no longer any place in these parts and having had for a number of years a great desire to come to you,
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But now that I have finished my work in these regions and since I have been wanting for so many years to come to see you,
24 Whenever I go to Spain (for it is my hope to see you on my way, and to be sent on there by you, if first I may in some measure have been comforted by your company)--
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I hope to do so now. I would like to see you on my way to Spain, and be helped by you to go there, after I have enjoyed visiting you for a while.
25 But now I go to Jerusalem, taking help for the saints.
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Right now, however, I am going to Jerusalem in the service of God's people there.
26 For it has been the good pleasure of those of Macedonia and Achaia to send a certain amount of money for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
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For the churches in Macedonia and Achaia have freely decided to give an offering to help the poor among God's people in Jerusalem.
27 Yes, it has been their good pleasure; and they are in their debt. For if the Gentiles have had a part in the things of the Spirit which were theirs, it is right for them, in the same way, to give them help in the things of the flesh.
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That decision was their own; but, as a matter of fact, they have an obligation to help them. Since the Jews shared their spiritual blessings with the Gentiles, the Gentiles ought to use their material blessings to help the Jews.
28 So when I have done this, and have given them this fruit of love, I will go on by you into Spain.
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When I have finished this task and have turned over to them all the money that has been raised for them, I shall leave for Spain and visit you on my way there.
29 And I am certain that when I come, I will be full of the blessing of Christ.
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When I come to you, I know that I shall come with a full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I make request to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit, that you will be working together with me in your prayers to God for me;
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I urge you, friends, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit gives: join me in praying fervently to God for me.
31 So that I may be kept safe from those in Judaea who have not put themselves under the rule of God, and that the help which I am taking for Jerusalem may be pleasing to the saints;
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Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to God's people there.
32 So that I may come to you in joy by the good pleasure of God, and have rest with you.
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And so I will come to you full of joy, if it is God's will, and enjoy a refreshing visit with you.
33 Now may the God of peace be with you all. So be it.
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May God, our source of peace, be with all of you. Amen.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.