Romans 14
1 Now him that is weak in faith, take unto you: not in disputes about thoughts.
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 For one believeth that he may eat all things: but he that is weak, let him eat herbs.
One man's faith allows him to eat anything, while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables.
3 Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and he that eateth not, let him not judge him that eateth. For God hath taken him to 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 art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own lord he standeth or falleth. And he shall stand: for God is able 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 For one judgeth between day and day: and another judgeth every day: let every man abound in his own sense.
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 that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord. And he that eateth, eateth to the Lord: for he giveth thanks to God. And he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth thanks to God.
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 liveth to himself; and no man dieth to himself.
For not one of us lives to himself, and not one dies to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live, or whether we 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 and rose again; that he might be Lord both of the dead and of 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 thou, why judgest thou thy brother? or thou, why dost thou despise thy brother? For we shall 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, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall 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 Therefore every one of us shall render account to God for himself.
So we see that every one of us will give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more. But judge this rather, that you put not a stumblingblock or a scandal in your brother’s way.
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 confident in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing 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 For if, because of thy meat, thy brother be grieved, thou walkest not now according to charity. Destroy not him with thy meat, 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 Let not then our good be evil spoken of.
Therefore do not let the boon which is yours in common be exposed to reproach.
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
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 that in this serveth Christ, pleaseth God, and is approved of men.
and whoever in this way devotedly serves Christ, God takes pleasure in him, and men highly commend him.
19 Therefore let us follow after the things that are of peace; and keep the things that are of edification one towards another.
Therefore let us aim at whatever makes for peace and mutual upbuilding of character.
20 Destroy not the work of God for meat. All things indeed are clean: but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
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 not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother is offended, or scandalized, or made weak.
The right course is to forego eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything that tends to your brother's fall.
22 Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth.
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 that discerneth, if he eat, is condemned; because not of faith. For all that 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.
