Romans 14

1 Accept those who are still struggling to trust in God, and don't get into arguments over personal opinions.

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

2 One person may believe they can eat anything, while another whose trust is weak only eats vegetables.

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

3 Those who eat anything must not look down on those who won't, and those who won't eat must not criticize those who do—for God has accepted them both.

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.

4 What right do you have to judge someone else's servant? It's their own master who decides whether they are right or wrong. With the Lord's help they will be able to take their stand for right.

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.

5 Some people consider some days more important than others, while others consider each day the same. Everyone should be completely convinced in their own minds.

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

6 Those who respect a special day do so for the Lord; and those who eat without worrying do so for the Lord since they give thanks to God; while those who avoid eating certain things do so for the Lord, and they also give thanks to God.

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.

7 None of us live for ourselves, or die for ourselves.

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

8 If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord—so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

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.

9 This was the reason Christ died and came back to life—so that he could be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

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

10 So why do you criticize your fellow-believer? Why do you despise your fellow-believer? For all of us will stand before God's throne of judgment.

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.

11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I am alive,’ the Lord says, ‘Every knee shall bow before me, and every tongue will declare that I am God.’”

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

12 So every one of us will have to explain ourselves to God.

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

13 Therefore let's not judge each other anymore, but decide to do this instead—we won't put obstacles in the way of fellow-believers, or cause them to fall.

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.

14 I'm certain—persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing in itself is ceremonially unclean. But if someone considers it to be unclean, to them it is unclean.

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.

15 If your fellow-believer is hurt by you over matters of food, then you're no longer behaving in a loving way. Don't destroy someone for whom Christ died by the food you choose to eat.

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.

16 Don't let the good things you do be misrepresented—

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

17 for God's kingdom is not about eating and drinking, but about living right, having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

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

18 Anyone who serves Christ in this way pleases God, and is appreciated by others.

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

19 So let's pursue the path of peace, and find ways to encourage each other.

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.

20 Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean—but it would be wrong to eat and offend others.

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.

21 It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or anything else that would cause your fellow-believer to stumble.

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.

22 What you personally believe is between you and God. Happy are those who don't condemn themselves for doing what they think is right!

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.

23 But if you have doubts whether it's right or wrong to eat something, then you shouldn't, because you're not convinced it's right. Whatever isn't based on conviction is sin.

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