The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

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- Chapter 14 -

(Matthew 7:1–6; Luke 6:37–42)

But accept those who are weak in faith, without disputing about ideas.

For one person believes that he may eat all things, but if another is weak, let him eat plants.(a)

He who eats should not despise him who does not eat. And he who does not eat should not judge him who eats. For God has accepted him.

Who are you to judge the servant of another? He stands or falls by his own Lord. But he shall stand. For God is able to make him stand.

For one person discerns one age from the next. But another discerns unto every age. Let each one increase according to his own mind.(b)

(c)

He who understands the age, understands for the Lord. And he who eats, eats for the Lord; for he gives thanks to God. And he who does not eat, does not eat for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.

For none of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself.

For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

For Christ died and rose again for this purpose: that he might be the ruler of both the dead and the living.

So then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

And so, each one of us shall offer an explanation of himself to God.

The Law of Love

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

Therefore, we should no longer judge one another. Instead, judge this to a greater extent: that you should not place an obstacle before your brother, nor lead him astray.

I know, with confidence in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in and of itself. But to him who considers anything to be unclean, it is unclean to him.(d)

For if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are not now walking according to love. Do not allow your food to destroy him for whom Christ died.

Therefore, what is good for us should not be a cause of blasphemy.

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but rather justice and peace and joy, in the Holy Spirit.

For he who serves Christ in this, pleases God and is proven before men.

And so, let us pursue the things that are of peace, and let us keep to the things that are for the edification of one another.

Do not be willing to destroy the work of God because of food. Certainly, all things are clean. But there is harm for a man who offends by eating.

It is good to refrain from eating meat and from drinking wine, and from anything by which your brother is offended, or led astray, or weakened.

Do you have faith? It belongs to you, so hold it before God. Blessed is he who does not judge himself in that by which he is tested.

But he who discerns, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not of faith. For all that is not of faith is sin.(e)

(f)

Footnotes

(a)14:2 Eat all things:Viz., without observing the distinction of clean and unclean meats, prescribed by the law of Moses: which was now no longer obligatory. Some weak Christians, converted from among the Jews, as we here gather from the apostle, made a scruple of eating such meats as were deemed unclean by the law; such as swine’s flesh, etc., which the stronger sort of Christians did eat without scruple. Now the apostle, to reconcile them together, exhorts the former not to judge or condemn the latter, using their Christian liberty; and the latter, to take care not to despise or scandalize their weaker brethren, either by bringing them to eat what in their conscience they think they should not, or by giving them such offence, as to endanger the driving them thereby from the Christian religion.(Challoner)

(b)14:5 The one who eats discerns that, in this present age (New Testament times), eating formerly-unclean foods is permitted, even though it was not permitted in the previous age (Old Testament times). The one who discerns unto every age refrains from eating, for self-denial and self-restraint is permitted in every age.(Conte)

(d)14:14 The word ‘commune’ can be translated as ‘unclean’ or as ‘common.’(Conte)

(e)14:23 Discerns:That is, distinguishes between meats, and eats against his conscience, what he deems unclean.(Challoner)

(f)14:23 Of faith:By faith is here understood judgment and conscience: to act against which is always a sin.(Challoner)

(Matthew 7:1–6; Luke 6:37–42)

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.

One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks.

For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”(a)

So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.

The Law of Love

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

Then don’t let your good be slandered,

for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves.

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.(b)

Footnotes

(a)14:11 ℘ Isaiah 45:23

(b)14:26 TR places verses 24-26 after Romans 16:24 as verses 25-27.