Romans 14
1 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.
As for those whose faith is weak, always receive them as friends, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on their scruples.
2 One person has faith to eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables.
One man’s faith permits of his eating food of all kinds, while another whose faith is weak eats only vegetable food.
3 Do not let the one who eats despise the one who does not eat. Do not let the one who does not eat judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.
The man who eats meat must not despise the man who abstains from it; nor must the man who abstains from eating meat pass judgment on the one who eats it, for God himself has received him.
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 the Lord has power to make him stand.
Who are you, that you should pass judgment on the servant of another? His standing or falling concerns his own master. And stand he will, for his Master can enable him to stand.
5 One esteems one day as more important; and another one esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.
Again, one man considers some days to be more sacred than others, while another considers all days to be alike. Every one ought to be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 The one who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and the one who does not observe the day, he does not observe it to the Lord. The one who eats, he eats to the Lord; since he gives thanks to God. And the one who does not eat, he does not eat to the Lord, and gives thanks to God.
He who observes a day, observes it to the Master’s honour. He, again, who eats meat eats it to the Master’s honour, for he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains from it abstains from it to the Master’s honour, and also gives thanks to God.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.
There is not one of us whose life concerns himself alone, and not one of us whose death concerns himself alone;
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.
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 For to this end Christ died, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
The very 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 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 God.
I would ask the one man ‘Why do you judge your Brother?’ And I would ask the other ‘Why do you despise your Brother?’ For we shall all stand before the Bar of God.
11 For it is written, "'As I live,' says the Lord, 'to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.'"
For Scripture says — ‘“As surely as I live,” says the Lord, “every knee shall bend before me; and every tongue shall make acknowledgment to God.”’
12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
So, then, each one of us will have to render account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, not to put a stumbling block in a brother's way, or an occasion for falling.
Let us, then, cease to judge one another. Rather let this be your resolve — never to place a stumbling-block or an obstacle in a Brother’s way.
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.
Through my union with the Lord Jesus, I know and am persuaded that nothing is ‘defiling in itself.’ A thing is ‘defiling’ only to him who holds it to be so.
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, for the sake of what you eat, you wound your Brother’s feelings, your life has ceased to be ruled by love. Do not, by what you eat, ruin a man for whom Christ died!
16 Then do not let your good be slandered,
Do not let what is right for you become a matter of reproach.
17 for the kingdom of God 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 righteousness and peace and gladness through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by people.
He who serves the Christ in this way pleases God, and wins the approval of his fellow men.
19 So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
Therefore our efforts should be directed towards all that makes for peace and the mutual building up of character.
20 Do not overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for anyone who creates a stumbling block by eating.
Do not undo God’s work for the sake of what you eat. Though everything is ‘clean,’ yet, if a man eats so as to put a stumbling-block in the way of others, he does wrong.
21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, or do anything by which 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 Brother.
22 The faith you have, keep between yourself and God. Happy is the one who does not judge himself in that which he approves.
As for yourself — keep this faith of yours to yourself, as in the presence of God. Happy is he who never has to condemn himself in regard to the very thing which he thinks right!
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
He, however, who has misgivings stands condemned if he still eats, because his doing so is not the result of faith. And anything not done as the result of faith is a sin.
