We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul here challenges the idea that "strength" in faith gives you the right to dictate to others. Instead, this strength is a responsibility to patiently carry the burdens of those who are weaker, prioritizing their spiritual well-being over your own preferences.
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is continuing his extended discussion on how Christians should interact with each other, especially when they have differing understandings or practices, like those concerning food laws mentioned in the previous chapter. He's urging those who are confident in their freedom in Christ to patiently accommodate those who are still struggling with scruples, emphasizing self-sacrifice over personal gratification. This builds directly into his call for unity and mutual acceptance, ultimately pointing to Christ's own example as the ultimate motivation.
Are you 'strong' in your faith? Paul says that strength isn't for showing off, but for carrying others.
Paul opens this section by addressing those who are 'strong.' In the context of Romans, this likely refers to believers who were confident in their understanding of Christian liberty, particularly regarding practices like eating certain foods or observing specific days. They weren't troubled by these things.
However, Paul immediately shifts the focus from their freedom to their responsibility. The 'strength' they possess isn't meant for personal indulgence or asserting their rights. Instead, it creates an 'obligation' – a duty – to 'bear with the failings of the weak.'
Think of it like a sturdy bridge. Its strength isn't demonstrated by standing alone, but by safely supporting traffic that crosses it. Similarly, Christian strength is best shown by how we help those who struggle with their faith journey.
Our world screams 'You! Your needs! Your rights!' Paul offers a radical alternative rooted in Christ.
The second part of the verse, 'and not to please ourselves,' is a powerful counter-cultural command. Our modern society often emphasizes individual desires and self-gratification. Paul, however, calls believers to a different standard.
To 'please ourselves' means to make our own comfort, preferences, and desires the primary guiding principle. Paul insists that this is precisely what the strong should not do. Their freedom and understanding come with a cost: the willingness to set aside personal preferences for the sake of another's spiritual well-being and the unity of the church.
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This isn't about suppressing your identity, but about reorienting your desires around God's purposes and the needs of your community. It's a conscious decision to prioritize the 'edification' – the building up – of others over personal convenience.
Paul doesn't just command; he points to the One whose life redefines what it means to 'bear burdens.'
Paul grounds this entire ethic in the supreme example of Jesus Christ. He writes, 'For even Christ pleased not himself.' This is the ultimate motivation and standard for Christian behavior.
Jesus, though fully divine and possessing every right, voluntarily set aside His own comfort and desires for the sake of humanity. He bore not just the 'failings' but the very sins of the world. He faced rejection, suffering, and death, not for His own pleasure, but to fulfill His Father's will and bring about our salvation.
When we are tempted to prioritize our own comfort or assert our own rights over the needs of a weaker brother or sister, looking to Christ reminds us of the true cost of love and the selfless sacrifice that forms the core of our faith.
Understand the original words
dynatoi · Greek Adjective
In a biblical context, strength refers to spiritual maturity and firm conviction regarding matters of Christian liberty, specifically in relation to the conscience. It implies a stability in faith that allows one to bear the burdens of others.
bastazein · Greek Verb
To endure, support, or carry a burden. It carries the sense of patiently putting up with or tolerating something that is difficult or contrary to one's own preferences.
asthenemata · Greek Noun
Infirmities, weaknesses, or shortcomings. In the context of Romans, it refers to those whose faith is not yet fully informed or settled concerning disputable matters, making them prone to stumbling.
asthenōn · Greek Adjective/Noun
A state of being powerless or lacking strength, specifically in faith or spiritual understanding. It denotes a vulnerability that requires the support and gentleness of more mature believers.
oikodomēn · Greek Noun/Verb (root)
To edify or build up. It signifies the process of strengthening, encouraging, or maturing someone in the faith, much like the construction of a building.
c. 50s AD— this verse
Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome
The Roman church, likely a mix of Jewish and Gentile converts, experiences tension over practices like dietary laws and observance of certain days. Paul addresses these divisions, emphasizing unity and love.
c. 50-60 AD
Paul's Missionary Journeys
Paul undertakes extensive missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire, establishing churches and facing various challenges. His letters, including Romans, are written during this period.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment in Rome
Paul is imprisoned in Rome, where he writes letters to churches like Philippi and Colossae, and likely to the Roman church itself. This period allows him to reflect on Christian community and doctrine.
Paul emphasizes his willingness to become 'all things to all people' in order to win them to Christ, mirroring the self-denial required by Romans 15:1.
Philippians 2:4This passage directly echoes the sentiment of Romans 15:1 by urging believers not to seek their own interests but to consider the interests of others.
Galatians 6:2The instruction to 'bear one another's burdens' in Galatians 6:2 provides a similar picture of carrying the weight of others' weaknesses, directly aligning with the call in Romans 15:1.
1 Corinthians 10:33Paul's statement that he does not seek his own pleasure but the good of others in 1 Corinthians 10:33 powerfully illustrates the principle of 'not pleasing ourselves' from Romans 15:1.
Romans 14:1This verse immediately preceding the passage introduces the concept of the 'weak' and 'strong' in faith, setting the context for the obligation described in Romans 15:1.
expositorsRomans 15:1: "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
Chapter 30 THE SAME SUBJECT: THE LORD’S EXAMPLE: HIS RELATION TO US ALL Romans 15:1-13 THE large and searching treatment which the Apostle has already given to the right use of Christian Liberty, is yet not enough. He must pursue the same theme further; above all, that he may put it into more explicit contact with the Lord Himself. We gather without doubt that the state of the Roman Mi…
barnesRomans 15:1: "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."
We then that are strong - The apostle resumes the subject of the preceding chapter; and continues the exhortation to brotherly love and mutual kindness and forbearance. By the "strong" here he means the strong "in faith" in respect to the matters under discussion; those whose minds were free from doubts and perplexities. His own mind was free from doubt, and there were many others, par…
Paul here challenges the idea that "strength" in faith gives you the right to dictate to others. Instead, this strength is a responsibility to patiently carry the burdens of those who are weaker, prioritizing their spiritual well-being over your own preferences.
Paul is continuing his extended discussion on how Christians should interact with each other, especially when they have differing understandings or practices, like those concerning food laws mentioned in the previous chapter. He's urging those who are confident in their freedom in Christ to patiently accommodate those who are still struggling with scruples, emphasizing self-sacrifice over personal gratification. This builds directly into his call for unity and mutual acceptance, ultimately pointing to Christ's own example as the ultimate motivation.
Paul is continuing his extended discussion on how Christians should interact with each other, especially when they have differing understandings or practices, like those concerning food laws mentioned in the previous chapter. He's urging those who are confident in their freedom in Christ to patiently accommodate those who are still struggling with scruples, emphasizing self-sacrifice over personal gratification. This builds directly into his call for unity and mutual acceptance, ultimately pointing to Christ's own example as the ultimate motivation.
"We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." — Paul here challenges the idea that "strength" in faith gives you the right to dictate to others. Instead, this strength is a responsibility to patiently carry the burdens of those who are weaker, pri…
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Last reviewed October 2026