Romans 15:22

because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us.

I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.

Now I don’t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

What then is my reward? That when I preach the Good News, I may present the Good News of Christ without charge, so as not to abuse my authority in the Good News.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.

For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.

Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the Spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

Not that I seek for the gift, but I seek for the fruit that increases to your account.

For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.

Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”

He who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit to eternal life; that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.

For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,

Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

For we don’t desire to have you uninformed, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened to us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life.

which has come to you, even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth,

But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire,

But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

He said to them, “Don’t hinder me, since Yahweh has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master.”

and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to Yahweh’s word, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

and they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion among us.

Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon.

My days are past. My plans are broken off, as are the thoughts of my heart.

In days to come, Jacob will take root. Israel will blossom and bud. They will fill the surface of the world with fruit.

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Woe to you lawyers! For you took away the key of knowledge. You didn’t enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in, you hindered.”

Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

When they had arrived, and had gathered the assembly together, they reported all the things that God had done with them, and that he had opened a door of faith to the nations.

All the multitude kept silence, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the nations through them.

and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

When he had greeted them, he reported one by one the things which God had worked among the Gentiles through his ministry.

For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

For though you have ten thousand tutors in Christ, you don’t have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, I became your father through the Good News.

Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you, that you have lawsuits one with another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are expedient. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be brought under the power of anything.

Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.

If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.

Now I do this for the sake of the Good News, that I may be a joint partaker of it.

When I therefore was thus determined, did I show fickleness? Or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be the “Yes, yes” and the “No, no?”

Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place.

We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,

Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God’s Good News free of charge?

For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.

For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again to my need.

For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.

and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men; for not all have faith.

These things I write to you, hoping to come to you shortly;

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

Or don’t you know, brothers (for I speak to men who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man for as long as he lives?

This greeting is by me, Paul, with my own hand.

Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.

The salutation of me, Paul, with my own hand: remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

The greeting of me, Paul, with my own hand, which is the sign in every letter: this is how I write.