Romans 14
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive all of you, but not to doubtful disputations.
As for those whose faith is weak, always receive them as friends, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on their scruples.
2 For one believes that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eats herbs.
One person’s faith permits them to eat food of all kinds, while another whose faith is weak eats only vegetable food.
3 Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him which eats not judge him that eats: for God has received him.
The person who eats meat must not despise the person who abstains from it; nor must the person who abstains from eating meat pass judgment on the one who eats it, for God himself has received them.
4 Who are you that judge another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be held up: for God is able to make him stand.
Who are you, that you should pass judgment on the servant of another? Their standing or falling concerns their own master. And stand they will, for their Master can enable them to stand.
5 One man esteems one day above another: another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Again, one person considers some days to be more sacred than others, while another considers all days to be alike. Everyone ought to be fully convinced in their own mind.
6 He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord; and he that regards not the day, to the Lord he does not regard it. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks.
The person who observes a day, observes it to the Master’s honor. They, again, who eat meat eat it to the Master’s honor, for they give thanks to God; while the person who abstains from it abstains from it to the Master’s honor, and also gives thanks to God.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies to himself.
There is not one of us whose life concerns ourselves alone, and not one of us whose death concerns ourself alone;
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
for, if we live, our life is for the Master, and, if we die, our death is for the Master. Whether, then, we live or die we belong to the Master.
9 In order to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
The purpose for which Christ died and came back to life was this – that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.
10 But why do you judge your brother? or why do you set at nothing your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
I would ask the one ‘Why do you judge other followers of the Lord?’ And I would ask the other ‘Why do you despise them?’ For we will all stand before the court of God.
11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
For scripture says – ‘“As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “every knee will bend before me and every tongue will praise God.”’
12 So then every one of us shall give account (logos) of himself to God.
So, then, each one of us will have to render account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Let us, then, cease to judge one another. Rather let this be your resolve – never to place a stumbling-block or an obstacle in the way of a fellow follower of the Lord.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Through my union with the Lord Jesus, I know and am persuaded that nothing is defiling in itself. A thing is ‘defiling’ only to the person who holds it to be so.
15 But if your brother be grieved with your food, now walk you not charitably. (agape) Destroy not him with your food, for whom Christ died.
If, for the sake of what you eat, you wound your fellow follower’s feelings, your life has ceased to be ruled by love. Do not, by what you eat, ruin someone for whom Christ died!
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Do not let what is right for you become a matter of reproach.
17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (pneuma)
For the kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and gladness through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
18 For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
The person who serves the Christ in this way pleases God, and wins the approval of their fellows.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Therefore our efforts should be directed towards all that makes for peace and the mutual building up of character.
20 For food destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eats with offence.
Do not undo God’s work for the sake of what you eat. Though everything is ‘clean,’ yet, if a person eats so as to put a stumbling-block in the way of others, they do wrong.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.
The right course is to abstain from meat or wine or, indeed, anything that is a stumbling-block to your fellow follower of the Lord.
22 Have you faith? have it to yourself before God. Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allows.
As for yourself – keep this conviction of yours to yourself, as in the presence of God. Happy the person who never has to condemn themselves in regard to something they think right!
23 And he that doubts is damned if he eat, because he eats not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
The person, however, who has misgivings stands condemned if they still eat, because their doing so is not the result of faith. And anything not done as the result of faith is a sin.
