< Romans 14 >
1 HIM that is weak in faith take by the hand, and enter not into niceties of disputes.
2 One man indeed thinketh he may eat all meats; another, who is weak, eateth vegetables.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth; for God hath accepted him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth; but he shall be established: for God is able to establish him.
5 One man judgeth one day different from another day: another judgeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that observeth a day, to the Lord he observeth it; and he that observeth not a day, to the Lord he doth not observe it. He that eateth, to the Lord he eateth, for he giveth thanks to God; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth thanks to God.
7 For no one of us liveth to himself, and no one dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, to the Lord we live, and whether we die, to the Lord we die; whether therefore we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose again, and revived, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 But thou, why judgest thou thy brother? And thou, why dost thou disparage thy brother? for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, “As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall make confession to God.”
12 Assuredly then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.
13 Let us therefore no more judge one another; but judge this rather, that no one put a stumbling-block or offence before his brother.
14 I know, and am convinced by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who thinketh any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if by meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no more according to love. Do not by thy meat destroy him for whom Christ died.
16 Let not therefore food, which is good for you, give occasion of reproach.
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he who in these things is the servant of Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Well then, let us earnestly pursue the things that conduce to peace, and the things which are for mutual edification.
20 For the sake of meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are clean; but it is an evil thing for a man to eat, giving offence.
21 It is laudable not to eat flesh, or to drink wine, nor to do any thing whereby thy brother is stumbled, or scandalized, or weakened.
22 Hast thou faith, exercise it before God within thyself. Blessed is the man who condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth.
23 But he that maketh a difference between meats, if he eat is condemned, because he doth it not by faith: for every thing which is not of faith, is sin.
