15:14 Now, in and of myself I am absolutely certain about you, my brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness, filled to the brim with all knowledge, and capable of instructing one another. 15 So I have written to you here rather boldly at times simply to remind you of what you already know, and this because of the particular gift that has been given to me by God—16that I should be a priest of Israel’s Messiah Jesus among the pagans, entrusted with the cultic duty of making the great proclamation about God, ultimately so that a sacred offering from the pagans should be acceptable to God, being purified by the Spirit who sanctifies us. 17 Thus, from my place within our Messiah, I can even boast about these things before God, 18although I do not dare to speak about anything which the Messiah is not effecting through me. His activity has resulted in the submission of the pagans, accomplished as I speak and work, as well as through the miracles and wonders I have done, although these were really accomplished by the Spirit. 19 So then, the proclamation about the Messiah has been declared by me from Jerusalem in a great circle up and around as far as Croatia. 20 In fact, as you can see from this, I aspire to proclaim the Messiah where he has not yet been named so that I am not building where someone else has already laid the foundations for a community. 21 As Scripture says, “those to whom nothing about him was reported will see, and those who have heard nothing will understand.” 22 This is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now, having no more room in these regions, and having wanted to come to you for many years, 24 I hope to see you all as I pass through on my way to Spain. You can send me on my way there, suitably equipped, as long as I have first spent a while enjoying you. 25 In the mean time, however, I must go to Jerusalem to serve those who have been purified there. 26 Macedonia and Greece were delighted to partner together to help out the poor among the purified community that lives in Jerusalem, 27 although having said they were delighted to, they were really obligated to; for if pagans have been welcomed by them as partners in their spiritual society, then they ought to offer their bodily resources in return. 28 So, after I have completed this task, and certified the arrival of this largesse among them, I will go to Spain by way of you. 29 And I know that I will come to you overflowing with the blessing of the Messiah. 30 And now I do nothing less than beg you as one living within our heavenly ruler Jesus, the Messiah, and within the Spirit’s love, to join together with me in my agonizing struggle as I pray to God for some things I really need— 31that I might be rescued from the recalcitrant who live in Judea, and that my great act of service intended for Jerusalem might prove acceptable to the purified ones who live there, 32 ultimately so that by God’s will, having come to you rejoicing, I might be refreshed by you.
33 And now may the God of peace be with all of us. “Amen.”
16:25 To the one
Who is able to strengthen you
In accordance with the proclamation made by me
Which declares the truth about Jesus the Messiah,
In accordance with the revelation of that sacred secret,
Which has been hidden through all eternity,
26But has now been made apparent,
Being spoken through the language of the prophetic Scriptures,
Having been made known in accordance with the command of the eternal God
And resulting in the obedience that flows from faith
Among all the pagan nations—
27To that supremely wise God
Be shining glory through all eternity
Through Jesus the Messiah.
“Amen.”