Romans 14
1
As for m the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
2
n One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.
3
Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and o let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.
4
p Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5
q One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. r Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
6
The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since s he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
7
For t none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.
8
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, u whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.
9
For to this end Christ v died and lived again, that he might be Lord both w of the dead and of the living.
10
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For w we will all stand before x the judgment seat of God;
11
for it is written,
y "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God."
12
So then z each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13
a Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide b never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
14
I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus c that nothing is unclean in itself, d but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
15
For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, e you are no longer walking in love. f By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
16
g So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
17
h For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but i of righteousness and j peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18
Whoever thus serves Christ is k acceptable to God and approved by men.
19
So then let us l pursue what makes for peace and for m mutual upbuilding.
20
n Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. o Everything is indeed clean, but p it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
21
q It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
22
The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. r Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.
23
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
-
Cross References
Romans 15:1
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
1 Corinthians 8:9 - 11
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
1 Corinthians 9:22
To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
-
Cross References
Romans 14:14
I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
-
Cross References
Colossians 2:16
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.
-
Cross References
James 4:12
There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
-
Cross References
Galatians 4:10
You observe days and months and seasons and years!
Zechariah 7:5 - 6
Say to all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted?
-
Cross References
Romans 14:23
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 10:30 - 31
If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
1 Timothy 4:3 - 4
Who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Matthew 15:36
He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
-
Cross References
2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1 Peter 4:2
So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own.
1 Thessalonians 5:10
Who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
-
Cross References
Philippians 1:20
As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
-
Cross References
Revelation 1:18
And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
Revelation 2:8
And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
-
Cross References
Acts 10:42
And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.
-
Cross References
Romans 14:9
For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
-
Cross References
2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
-
Cross References
Philippians 2:10 - 11
So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
Isaiah 45:23
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.
-
Cross References
Isaiah 45:23
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.
-
Cross References
Matthew 12:36
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.
Matthew 16:27
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
1 Peter 4:5
But they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
Galatians 6:5
For each will have to bear his own load.
-
Cross References
Matthew 7:1
Judge not, that you be not judged.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:13
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
-
Cross References
Romans 14:2
One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.
Romans 14:20
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
Acts 10:15
And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:7
However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
1 Corinthians 8:10
For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?
-
Cross References
Ephesians 5:2
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:11
And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.
Romans 14:20
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
-
Cross References
Romans 12:17
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
1 Corinthians 10:29 - 30
I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience?
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:8
Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 6:9
Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.
-
Cross References
Galatians 5:22
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
-
Cross References
2 Corinthians 8:21
For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.
-
Cross References
Psalms 34:14
Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
1 Corinthians 7:15
But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.
2 Timothy 2:22
So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
-
Cross References
Romans 15:2
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
1 Corinthians 14:12
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
-
Cross References
Romans 14:15
For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
-
Cross References
Titus 1:15
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
Romans 14:14
I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:9 - 12
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
-
Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:13
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
-
Cross References
1 John 3:21
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.