Romans 14
1 AS FOR the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions.2 One [man’s faith permits him to] believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one [limits his] eating to vegetables.3 Let not him who eats look down on or despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize and pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted and welcomed him.4 Who are you to pass judgment on and censure another’s household servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he shall stand and be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to support him and make him stand.5 One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind.6 He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.7 None of us lives to himself [but to the Lord], and none of us dies to himself [but to the Lord, for]8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.9 For Christ died and lived again for this very purpose, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.10 Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. 12 And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God.13 Then let us no more criticize and blame and pass judgment on one another, but rather decide and endeavor never to put a stumbling block or an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.14 I know and am convinced (persuaded) as one in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is [forbidden as] essentially unclean (defiled and unholy in itself). But [none the less] it is unclean (defiled and unholy) to anyone who thinks it is unclean.15 But if your brother is being pained or his feelings hurt or if he is being injured by what you eat, [then] you are no longer walking in love. [You have ceased to be living and conducting yourself by the standard of love toward him.] Do not let what you eat hurt or cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died!16 Do not therefore let what seems good to you be considered an evil thing [by someone else]. [In other words, do not give occasion for others to criticize that which is justifiable for you.]17 [After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.18 He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable and pleasing to God and is approved by men.19 So let us then definitely aim for and eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another.20 You must not, for the sake of food, undo and break down and destroy the work of God! Everything is indeed [ceremonially] clean and pure, but it is wrong for anyone to hurt the conscience of others or to make them fall by what he eats.21 The right thing is to eat no meat or drink no wine [at all], or [do anything else] if it makes your brother stumble or hurts his conscience or offends or weakens him.22 Your personal convictions [on such matters]--exercise [them] as in God’s presence, keeping them to yourself [striving only to know the truth and obey His will]. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do].23 But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful].
Romans 14
Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance
1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions.t2 One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.3 The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him.
4 Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lords is able to make him stand.
5 One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike.t Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.6 The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. Thet one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.7 For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself.8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister?t And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister?t For we will all stand before the judgment seats of God.11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”s
12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.st
Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak
13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.t14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.15 For if your brother or sistert is distressed because of what you eat,t you are no longer walking in love.t Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.16 Therefore do not let what you consider goodt be spoken of as evil.17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.t
19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean,s it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.s22 The faiths you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves.
23 But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.ss