Section 15:1–13
Believers should help one another
In this section, Paul said that believers who are strong, as he defined “strong” in 14:1–9, should help believers who are weak (also as in 14:1–9). The strong are to encourage the weak, with the result that all may have hope in God.
Paul prayed that God would help the believers, strong and weak, to live in unity and glorify God.
Paul urged the believers to always welcome one another, because doing that glorifies God. Jesus served the Jews to show that God’s word was true and confirm his promises, which in turn encourages the non-Jews to glorify God for his mercy to them.
Then Paul prayed that God would fill them with joy and peace in their faith, with the result that the Holy Spirit would fill them with hope.
Here are other possible headings for this section:
Carry weak believers, encourage them and accept them
-or-
Help believers who are not strong
Paragraph 15:1–4
15:1a
We who are strong ought to: The word ought refers to something that is required to be done. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
We who are strong have a duty to
-or-
it is necessary that we who are strong
-or-
We who are strong are required to
-or-
We who are strong must
We who are strong: Here the word strong refers to believers who are strong in the freedom of behavior we have as believers. The “weak” believers restrict their freedom by only following Jewish behavior (chapter 14).
This clause does not refer to physical strength. In some languages a literal translation would refer only to physical strength. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
We who are strong ⌊in our freedom⌋
• Translate literally and explain the meaning in a footnote. Here is an example footnote:
This refers to being strong in the freedom we have as believers. The weak here are tied to Jewish behaviors.
bear with: The Greek word refers to carrying something heavy. Here it refers to coming alongside the weak believers and helping them. It does not imply trying to change their minds about their weaknesses. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
help the weak to carry their burdens (Good News Translation)
-or-
bear the weaknesses of (New American Standard Bible)
shortcomings: The Greek word is literally “weaknesses.” It refers here to any weakness that a believer might have. The main example in chapter 14 was eating only vegetables, perhaps out of fear of being influenced by idols should he eat meat dedicated to them. The word does not refer to sins or physical weaknesses here. Here are other ways to translate this word:
weaknesses (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
whose freedom is not strong
15:1b
and not to please ourselves: The words “we who are strong ought” are implied from 15:1a. Some languages must repeat all or some of those words for a natural translation. For example:
and ⌊we have an obligation⌋ not to please ourselves
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