Romans 14
14
Welcoming each other like Christ
1Welcome the person who is weak in faith—but not in order to argue about differences of opinion. 2One person believes in eating everything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not look down on the ones who don’t, and the ones who don’t eat must not judge the ones who do, because God has accepted them. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servants? They stand or fall before their own Lord (and they will stand, because the Lord has the power to make them stand). 5One person considers some days to be more sacred than others, while another person considers all days to be the same. Each person must have their own convictions. 6Someone who thinks that a day is sacred, thinks that way for the Lord. Those who eat, eat for the Lord, because they thank God. And those who don’t eat, don’t eat for the Lord, and they thank the Lord too. 7We don’t live for ourselves and we don’t die for ourselves. 8If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to God. 9This is why Christ died and lived: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10But why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you look down on your brother or sister? We all will stand in front of the judgment seat of God. 11Because it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, ”
“and every tongue will give praise to God.”#14.11 Isa 45:23
12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13So stop judging each other. Instead, this is what you should decide: never put a stumbling block or obstacle in the way of your brother or sister. 14I know and I’m convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is wrong to eat in itself. But if someone thinks something is wrong to eat, it becomes wrong for that person. 15If your brother or sister is upset by your food, you are no longer walking in love. Don’t let your food destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16And don’t let something you consider to be good be criticized as wrong. 17God’s kingdom isn’t about eating food and drinking but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever serves Christ this way pleases God and gets human approval.
19So let’s strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up. 20Don’t destroy what God has done because of food. All food is acceptable, but it’s a bad thing if it trips someone else. 21It’s a good thing not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that trips your brother or sister. 22Keep the belief that you have to yourself—it’s between you and God. People are blessed who don’t convict themselves by the things they approve. 23But those who have doubts are convicted if they go ahead and eat, because they aren’t acting on the basis of faith. Everything that isn’t based on faith is sin.
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Romans 14: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
Romans 14
14
1Accept those who are still struggling to trust in God, and don't get into arguments over personal opinions. 2One person may believe they can eat anything, while another whose trust is weak only eats vegetables.#14:2. This is nothing to do with the issue of vegetarianism or diet, but with food offered to idols. (Similarly in 1 Corinthians 8.) 3Those who eat anything must not look down on those who won't, and those who won't eat must not criticize those who do—for God has accepted them both. 4What right do you have to judge someone else's servant? It's their own master who decides whether they are right or wrong. With the Lord's help they will be able to take their stand for right.
5Some people consider some days more important than others, while others consider each day the same. Everyone should be completely convinced in their own minds. 6Those who respect a special day do so for the Lord; and those who eat without worrying#14:6. Eating/not eating refers to whether it was right to eat food that had previously been offered to pagan idols. do so for the Lord since they give thanks to God; while those who avoid eating certain things do so for the Lord, and they also give thanks to God.
7None of us live for ourselves, or die for ourselves. 8If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord—so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9This was the reason Christ died and came back to life—so that he could be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10So why do you criticize your fellow-believer? Why do you despise your fellow-believer? For all of us will stand before God's throne of judgment.
11For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I am alive,’ the Lord says, ‘Every knee shall bow before me, and every tongue will declare that I am God.’”#14:11. See Isaiah 45:23. 12So every one of us will have to explain ourselves to God. 13Therefore let's not judge each other anymore, but decide to do this instead—we won't put obstacles in the way of fellow-believers, or cause them to fall.
14I'm certain—persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing in itself is ceremonially unclean. But if someone considers it to be unclean, to them it is unclean. 15If your fellow-believer is hurt by you over matters of food, then you're no longer behaving in a loving way. Don't destroy someone for whom Christ died by the food you choose to eat. 16Don't let the good things you do be misrepresented— 17for God's kingdom is not about eating and drinking, but about living right, having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18Anyone who serves Christ in this way pleases God, and is appreciated by others. 19So let's pursue the path of peace, and find ways to encourage each other. 20Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean—but it would be wrong to eat and offend others. 21It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or anything else that would cause your fellow-believer to stumble. 22What you personally believe is between you and God. Happy are those who don't condemn themselves for doing what they think is right! 23But if you have doubts whether it's right or wrong to eat something, then you shouldn't, because you're not convinced it's right. Whatever isn't based on conviction#14:23. Or “faith.” is sin.#14:23. Or “Sin is doing something you don't believe is right.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com