Romans 15

This chapter belongs to the hortatory section in the latter part of Romans. It concludes the discussion of "the strong and the weak" begun in Romans 14. From verse 14 onward, as the letter draws to a close, Paul describes his own ministry and plans.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 Paul urges the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak and to build up their neighbors. He holds up Christ, who "pleased not himself," as the example, and prays that believers may glorify God with one mind.
• Verses 7–13 Paul urges believers to receive one another as Christ received them. He states that Christ became a minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers and so that the Gentiles might also glorify God, and he quotes the Old Testament four times. The benediction of verse 13 closes the exhortation.
• Verses 14–21 Paul presents himself as one entrusted with "ministering the gospel of God" as a priest on behalf of the Gentiles. He says that he has preached the gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum and has sought not to build upon another man's foundation.
• Verses 22–29 Paul announces his plan to visit Rome on his way to Spain. First, however, he is going to Jerusalem to deliver to the poor saints there the contribution collected by the churches of Macedonia and Achaia.
• Verses 30–33 Paul asks the Romans to pray that he may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe and that his service in Jerusalem may be accepted. He closes with a blessing of peace.

Key Verses

• Romans 15:7 "Wherefore receive ye one another" — often read as a summary of the letter's call for Jewish and Gentile believers to be united.
• Romans 15:13 "Now the God of hope … that ye may abound in hope" — widely quoted as a prayer and benediction.
• Romans 15:20 "lest I should build upon another man's foundation" — reflects Paul's missionary principle.

People and Places

• Paul: The apostle who wrote the letter.
• Jesse: The father of David. "A root of Jesse" in verse 12 refers to the Messiah.
• Jerusalem: The city to which Paul is taking the contribution.
• Illyricum: A Roman province northwest of Macedonia, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea.
• Spain: The region corresponding to present-day Spain.
• Macedonia and Achaia: Regions corresponding to present-day northern and southern Greece, home to the churches that gathered the contribution.

Points for Reflection

• Old Testament quotations: Verse 3 is understood to quote Psalm 69:9; verse 9, Psalm 18:49; verse 10, Deuteronomy 32:43; verse 11, Psalm 117:1; verse 12, Isaiah 11:10; and verse 21, Isaiah 52:15.
• The strong and the weak: Interpretations differ as to whom these terms refer. Many understand them to mean, respectively, believers who did not keep the law's regulations concerning food and days and Jewish believers who did.
• Priestly service: The "priestly" language of verse 16 likens the proclamation of the gospel to a sacrificial offering. Protestants generally read it as a metaphor.
• The contribution and Paul's travels: The account of the contribution connects with 2 Corinthians 8–9. In Acts 21, Paul is arrested after arriving in Jerusalem, and he later goes to Rome as a prisoner (Acts 28). Scripture does not say whether he ever actually reached Spain. A tradition based on early church writings holds that he did, but it remains uncertain.

In the Korean Church

Verse 13 is frequently used as a prayer and benediction, and verses 1–2 serve as a common sermon text on mutual consideration within the community. Verses 20–21 are cited in discussions of missions to regions where the gospel has not yet been preached.