Daily Bible Reading
Day 46
Today's reading: Romans 14-16
Look for the promises in God’s word. As you read and find them, write them in your journal along with the scripture reference.
Romans 14
Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance
1. Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.
2. One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.
3. The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him.
4. Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5. One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.
6. The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.
7. For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself.
8. If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9. For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10. But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11. For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”
12. Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak
13. Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
14. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.
15. For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.
16. Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil.
17. For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18. For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.
19. So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
20. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.
21. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
22. The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves.
23. But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Romans 15
Exhortation for the Strong to Help the Weak
1. But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.
2. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.
3. For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
4. For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.
5. Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,
6. so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Exhortation to Mutual Acceptance
7. Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.
8. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth to confirm the promises made to the fathers,
9. and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.”
10. And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”
11. And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.”
12. And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.”
13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s Motivation for Writing the Letter
14. But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.
15. But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God
16. to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17. So I boast in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God.
18. For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
19. in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
20. And in this way I desire to preach where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on another person’s foundation,
21. but as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
Paul’s Intention of Visiting the Romans
22. This is the reason I was often hindered from coming to you.
23. But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you
24. when I go to Spain. For I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will help me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
25. But now I go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.
26. For Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.
27. For they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.
28. Therefore after I have completed this and have safely delivered this bounty to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you,
29. and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing.
30. Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf.
31. Pray that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
32. so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.
33. Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.
Romans 16
Personal Greetings
1. Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
2. so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me.
3. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4. who risked their own necks for my life. Not only I, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
5. Also greet the church in their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.
6. Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.
7. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my compatriots and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
8. Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.
9. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my good friend Stachys.
10. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.
11. Greet Herodion, my compatriot. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12. Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.
13. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me.
14. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters with them.
15. Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the believers who are with them.
16. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17. Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them!
18. For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.
19. Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
20. The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21. Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my compatriots.
22. I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23. Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus the city treasurer and our brother Quartus greet you.
24. [[EMPTY]]
25. Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages,
26. but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith –
27. to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen.