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The weak ought not to be held in disdain. No person should occasion harm to another’s conscience. Again, no one should condemn another for outward things.

14 Him who is weak in the faith, receive to yourselves – not in disputing and troubling his conscience. One believes that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eats vegetables. Let not him who eats look down on him who does not. And let not him who abstains judge one who eats, for God has received him. Who are you, to judge another man’s servant? Whether he stands or falls pertains to his master; yea, he will stand, because God is able to make him stand.

This man distinguishes between day and day, another counts all days alike. See to it that no one wavers in his own purpose: he who observes one day over another does it for the Lord’s pleasure, and he who does not observe one day over another does it also to please the Lord. He who eats does it to please the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat abstains to please the Lord at the same time, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives as his own servant, and neither does any of us die his own servant. If we live, we live to be at the Lord’s will, and if we die, we die at the Lord’s will. Therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. It is for this that Christ died and rose up and recovered life: to be Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 But why do you then judge your brother? Or, why do you despise your brother? We shall all be brought before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: As surely as I live, says the Lord, all knees will bow to me, and all tongues will acknowledge God. 12 So then, every one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but determine rather that no one shall put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. 14 For I know and am fully assured in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing common of itself. But for him who judges it to be common, to him it is common. 15 If your brother is grieved by your food, now you are not walking charitably. Do not destroy by your food a person for whom Christ died. 16 Give no reason for your treasure to be ill spoken of. 17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For whosoever serves Christ in these things, pleases God well, and is commended by men. 19 Let us follow those things that make for peace, and things whereby one may support another.

20 Do not undo the work of God for the sake of a little food. All these things are pure, but it is wrong for that person who eats with harm to his conscience. 21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor drink wine, nor do anything whereby your brother stumbles, or falls, or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it within yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself by what he allows. 23 For he who makes conscience is guilty if he eats, because he does not do it of faith. For whatsoever is not of faith, that same is sin.

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.(B) The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

One person considers one day more sacred than another;(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone,(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.(I) For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life(J) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.(K)

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?(L) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.(M) 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’(N) says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b](O)

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.(P)

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment(Q) on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.(R) 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.(S) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.(T) 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.(U) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.(V) 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.(W) 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,(X) but of righteousness, peace(Y) and joy in the Holy Spirit,(Z) 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.(AA)

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace(AB) and to mutual edification.(AC) 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.(AD) All food is clean,(AE) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.(AF) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.(AG)

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn(AH) himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts(AI) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:10 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verses 13, 15 and 21.
  2. Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23
  3. Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts place 16:25-27 here; others after 15:33.