Romans 14
1 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.
I now pass to another subject. Receive as a friend a man whose faith is weak, but not for the purpose of deciding mere matters of opinion.
2 One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
One man's faith allows him to eat anything, while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables.
3 Do not let him who eats despise him who does not eat. Do not let him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.
Let not him who eats certain food look down upon him who abstains from it, nor him who abstains from it find fault with him who eats it; for God has received both of them.
4 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.
Who are you that you should find fault with the servant of another? Whether he stands or falls is a matter which concerns his own master. But stand he will; for the Master can give him power to stand.
5 One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
One man esteems one day more highly than another; another esteems all days alike. Let every one be thoroughly convinced in his own mind.
6 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 does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
He who regards the day as sacred, so regards it for the Master's sake; and he who eats certain food eats it for the Master's sake, for he gives thanks to God; and he who refrains from eating it refrains for the Master's sake, and he also gives thanks to God.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.
For not one of us lives to himself, and not one dies to himself.
8 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.
If we live, we live to the Lord: if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
For this was the purpose of Christ's dying and coming to life--namely that He might be Lord both of the dead and the living.
10 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.
But you, why do you find fault with your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon your brother? We shall all stand before God to be judged;
11 For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”
for it is written, "'As I live,' says the Lord, 'to Me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall make confession to God.'"
12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
So we see that every one of us will give account of himself to God.
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.
Therefore let us no longer judge one another; but, instead of that, you should come to this judgement--that we must not put a stumbling-block in our brother's path, nor anything to trip him up.
14 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.
As one who lives in union with the Lord Jesus, I know and am certain that in its own nature no food is 'impure'; but if people regard any food as impure, to them it is.
15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
If your brother is pained by the food you are eating, your conduct is no longer controlled by love. Take care lest, by the food you eat, you lead to ruin a man for whom Christ died.
16 Then do not let your good be slandered,
Therefore do not let the boon which is yours in common be exposed to reproach.
17 for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
For the Kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of right conduct, peace and joy, through the Holy Spirit;
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
and whoever in this way devotedly serves Christ, God takes pleasure in him, and men highly commend him.
19 So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
Therefore let us aim at whatever makes for peace and mutual upbuilding of character.
20 Do not 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.
Do not for food's sake be throwing down God's work. All food is pure; but a man is in the wrong if his food is a snare to others.
21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
The right course is to forego eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything that tends to your brother's fall.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not judge himself in that which he approves.
As for you and your faith, keep your faith to yourself in the presence of God. The man is to be congratulated who does not pronounce judgement on himself in what his actions sanction.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
But he who has misgivings and yet eats meat is condemned already, because his conduct is not based on faith; for all conduct not based on faith is sinful.
