Romans 15:1–13, King James Version
Italic words were supplied in the English translation for clarity.
Romans 15:1–13
Christlike Welcome Unites Jews and Gentiles in Hope
Christlike welcome unites Jews and Gentiles in shared hope, without erasing either.
We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please the neighbor for good, toward building up. Christ did not please himself. By endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. Christ became a servant of the circumcised for the sake of God's truth, to confirm the promises to the ancestors, and so that the Gentiles might glorify God for mercy. Scripture then stacks Jewish and Gentile praise, and Paul prays that the God of hope fill them with all joy and peace in believing, so that they may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Bearing weaknesses is Christlike burden-bearing, not enabling abuse, doing another person's accountability, or erasing limits. Confirming Israel's promises means Gentile inclusion does not cancel those promises or treat Jewish practice as a problem to be outgrown.
How this should shape us
Welcome across the food-and-calendar line the way Christ welcomed you. Carry a weaker conscience without becoming someone's enabler, and let Gentile praise confirm—not replace—Israel's promises. Refuse contempt for Jewish life as if it were the price of Christian hope.
Teach it back
Explain Romans 15:1–13 in your own words. Include its place in Romans, its movement, one material uncertainty, and one misuse the context rules out.
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Go deeper
The explanation above is meant to stand on its own. Open these notes only if you want language, history, disagreements, or source locations.
Where careful interpreters disagreeThe strongest options and their difficulties
Where do careful interpreters disagree?
Best judgment: One mind does not mean uniform opinion; Christ's service to circumcision and Gentile mercy can be framed as continuity, fulfillment, or replacement, but the latter conflicts with 11:29.
How certain? probableResearch trail and exact locationsThe source record behind this section
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Romans 15:1–13, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 15:1–13
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 15:1–13, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 15:1–13, with bibliography and endnotes
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 15:1–13
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 15:1–13
Supports: Classic New Perspective proposal about works of law, covenant identity, boasting, and Romans 2-4 and 11.
Dunn, 'The New Perspective on Paul,' BJRL 65.2 (1983), journal pp. 95-122 plus later additional note
Supports: Romans 9:6-11:32, continuing Israel, the olive tree, mercy, and anti-replacement alternatives.
Nanos, 'The Gifts and the Calling of God are Irrevocable,' Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 11.1 (2016), complete open article
Sources for This Section
These records identify the source, the claim it supports, and the exact location used. A source remains evidence to evaluate; it does not replace the biblical text.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Exact reader-facing Scripture wording, paragraph markers, supplied-word markup, and complete verse coverage.
Exact location: Romans 15:1–13, pinned eng-kjv2006 USFM corpus
Open source ↗Greek textual evidence
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition
Michael W. Holmes, editor; Society of Biblical Literature and Logos
Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software, 2010
Supports: Greek wording, clause relationships, and base text for original-language discussion.
Exact location: Faithlife SBLGNT repository, data/sblgnt/text/Rom.txt, 15:1–13
Open the Romans Greek text file ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible - Romans with translators' and textual notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, 2005-2026 online edition
Supports: Verse-level syntax, KJV-era wording, material variants, and interpretive alternatives.
Exact location: NET Bible official Romans chapter print view, 15:1–13, translation and attached translator, study, and textual notes
Open NET Romans 15 notesmodern open commentary
Romans
Donny Ray Mathis II
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary, 2023
Supports: Complete evangelical Protestant whole-letter exposition, historical setting, argument flow, and theological synthesis.
Exact location: Mathis, 'Romans,' introduction and commentary section covering 15:1–13, with bibliography and endnotes
Open source ↗modern catholic translation notes
The Letter to the Romans: introduction and chapter notes
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2010-2026 online edition
Supports: Catholic exegetical orientation, salvation-history frame, concise verse notes, and faith-new-life synthesis.
Exact location: USCCB, Romans introduction and chapter notes covering 15:1–13
Open source ↗modern jewish annotated new testament
Romans introduction and annotations in The Jewish Annotated New Testament
Mark D. Nanos; edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler
Oxford University Press, 2011
Supports: Jewish historical context, Paul-within-Judaism alternatives, diatribe restraint, and anti-supersessionist controls.
Exact location: Nanos, Jewish Annotated New Testament, first edition print pp. 253-286, introduction and annotations on 15:1–13
Open source ↗landmark peer reviewed lecture
The New Perspective on Paul
James D. G. Dunn
Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 65.2, 1983
Supports: Classic New Perspective proposal about works of law, covenant identity, boasting, and Romans 2-4 and 11.
Exact location: Dunn, 'The New Perspective on Paul,' BJRL 65.2 (1983), journal pp. 95-122 plus later additional note
Open source ↗peer reviewed jewish christian relations article
The Gifts and the Calling of God are Irrevocable (Romans 11:29): If So, How Can Paul Declare that Not All Israelites Truly Belong to Israel (9:6)?
Mark D. Nanos
Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 11.1, 2016
Supports: Romans 9:6-11:32, continuing Israel, the olive tree, mercy, and anti-replacement alternatives.
Exact location: Nanos, 'The Gifts and the Calling of God are Irrevocable,' Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations 11.1 (2016), complete open article
Open source ↗