Romans 15:20

yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

yes, making it my aim to preach the Good News, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build on another’s foundation.

BSB

In this way I have aspired to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.

KJV

Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:

ASV

yea, making it my aim so to preach the gospel, not where Christ was [already] named, that I might not build upon another man’s foundation;

BBE

Making it my purpose not to take the good news where Christ was named, so that my work might not be resting on that of others;

Original Greek

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The early church

"Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named." See here another preeminence; that he had not only preached the Gospel to so many, and persuaded them, but he did not even go to those who had become disciples. So far was he from thrusting himself upon other men's disciples, and from doing this for glory's sake, that he even made it a point to teach those who had not heard. For neither does he say where they were not persuaded, but "where Christ was not even named," which is more. And what was the reason why he had this ambition? "Lest I should build," he says, "upon another man's foundation." This he says to show himself a stranger to vanity, and to instruct them that it was not from any love of glory, or of honor from them, that he came to write, but as fulfilling his ministry, as perfecting his priestly duty, as loving their salvation. But he calls the foundation of the Apostles "another man's," not in regard to the quality of the person, or the nature of preaching, but in regard to the question of reward. For it was not that the preaching was that of another man, but so far as it went to another man's reward. For the reward of the labors of others was, to this man, another man's.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Romans

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 14–21

The apostle was persuaded that the Roman Christians were filled with a kind and affectionate spirit, as well as with knowledge. He had written to remind them of their duties and their dangers, because God had appointed him the minister of Christ to the Gentiles. Paul preached to them; but what made them sacrifices to God, was, their sanctification; not his work, but the work of the Holy Ghost: unholy things can never be pleasing to the holy God. The conversion of souls pertains unto God; therefore it is the matter of Paul's glorying, not the things of the flesh. But though a great preacher, he could not make one soul obedient, further than the Spirit of God accompanied his labours. He principally sought the good of those that sat in darkness. Whatever good we do, it is Christ who does it by us.

Read Matthew Henry on Romans 15 →

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.