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].

ROMANOS 14

Condescendencia y apoyo mutuo

1 Acojan a los que tienen una fe poco formadat y no se enzarcen en cuestiones opinables.t 2 Algunos creen que se puede comer de todot; otros, en cambio, tienen la fe poco formada y sólo comen alimentos vegetales.t 3 Quien come de todo, que no desprecie a quien se abstiene de comer ciertos alimentos; y el que no come ciertos alimentos, que no critique al que come de todo, pues ambos han sido acogidos por Dios.

4 ¿Quién eres tú para erigirte en juez de alguien que no está bajo tu dominio? Que se mantenga en pie o que caiga es algo que incumbe solamente a su amo. Y no cabe duda de que se mantendrá en pie, pues le sobra poder al Señor para mantenerlo.
5 Algunos dan especial importanciat a ciertos días mientras que otros piensan que todos los días son iguales. Actúe cada uno conforme al dictamen de su propia conciencia.t

6 El que piensa que hay que celebrar determinadas fechas, con intención de honrar al Señor lo hace. Y el que come de todo, también lo hace para honrar al Señor; de hecho, da gracias a Dios por ello. De la misma manera, el que se abstiene de comer ciertos manjares, lo hace para honrar al Señor, y también da gracias a Dios.t
7 Nadie vive ni muere para sí mismo. 8 Si vivimos, para el Señor vivimos; si morimos, para el Señor morimos. Así pues, en vida o en muerte, pertenecemos al Señor.t 9 Para eso murió y resucitó Cristo: para ser Señor de vivos y muertos.t 10 ¿Cómo te atreves, entonces, a erigirte en juez de tu hermano? ¿Quién eres tú para despreciarlo? Todos hemos de comparecer ante el tribunal de Dios,t

11 pues dice la Escritura:
Por mi vida, dice el Señor,
que ante mí se doblará toda rodilla,
y todos reconocerán la grandeza de Dios .t

12 En una palabra, cada uno de nosotros habrá de rendir cuentas a Dios de sí mismot.t

Convivir en paz y armonía

18 Quien sirve así a Cristo, agrada a Dios y se granjea la estima humanat.
19 Así que busquemos con afán lo que contribuye a la paz y a la convivencia mutua. 20 ¿Por qué destruir la obra de Dios por una cuestión de alimentos? Todo lo que se come es bueno, pero se convierte en malo para quien, al comerlo, pone a otro en ocasión de pecado. 21 Más vale, pues, que te abstengas de carne, de vino o de cualquier otra cosa, antes que poner a tu hermano en trance de pecar.t 22 La fe bien formada que tú tienes, resérvala para tus relaciones personales con Dios. ¡Dichoso el que puede tomar una decisión sin angustias de conciencia! 23 Pero quien tiene dudas de si un alimento está prohibido o permitido y, sin embargo, lo come, se hace culpable al no proceder conforme al dictamen de su conciencia. Pues todo lo que se hace con mala conciencia es pecado.t