Romans 15:23-33
Paul's Plan to Visit Rome
23But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
30I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
In St. Paul's letter to the Romans, he writes for his longing to visit Rome...Then he plans to go on to Spain...Paul will get to Rome, but it will be after he is arrested...He will be under guard at Rome, but continue to preach the good news to those around him...St. Luke writes in the last two sections of the Acts 28 about Paul's arrival in Rome...Paul is arrested and is placed under guard by a Roman soldier...The reason for his arrest is because he is being persecuted for spreading the good news of Jesus...The Acts is said to be written around 65 a.d., while Paul's letters to the Romans was written in approximately 57 a.d...So St. Paul would have had somewhat in Rome of a following when he finally gets there as prisoner...He might have had somewhat of a reputation, before he arrived in Rome, especially if the Romans had heard about all the good work he had been spreading (before he arrived)...They have after all received his letter (to the Romans) and understand his teachings of Jesus...
Paul was working hard to get and keep the other churches in the near and mid east up and sustaining before he could go to Rome...He put God and the good word first before his visit to Rome...Like Paul, followers of Jesus are expected to do the good work and help convert non believer to believer and all believers and non believers to repent...If there is a heaven on earth, it is a group or groups of followers of Christ, believing in Him and spreading His teachings...St. Paul understood and taught this...
St. Paul was on his way to Jerusalem...He helped the needy and poor there...Money and material things were not important to him...He wanted to do God's work in helping those who needed help...
St. Paul asks for a prayer from the Romans...He knew how powerful prayer is...He knew how important it was for others to pray for him...The prayers of others were important if he wanted to maintain God's work in his life...Prayers were needed and necessary for the good news to advance...The prayers were also necessary to fight his persecution...Before Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Paul was prominent Pharisee...He was skilled in Judaism...He persecuted Christians, before his conversion...Now Paul was a Christian and others prominent in Judaism were after him, and wanted him persecuted...Paul has went from persecutor to being persecuted...