Romans 14
14
Don't Criticize Others
1 #
Col 2.16. Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. 2Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. 3But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. 4What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
5Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. 6Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
7Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. 8Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. 9This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. 10#2 Co 5.10. Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. 11#Is 45.23 (LXX). In the Scriptures God says,
“I swear by my very life
that everyone will kneel down
and praise my name!”
12And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.
Don't Cause Problems for Others
13We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone's faith. 14The Lord Jesus has made it clear to me that God considers all foods fit to eat. But if you think some foods are unfit to eat, then for you they are not fit.
15If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for. 16Don't let your right to eat bring shame to Christ. 17God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. 18If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people. 19We should try#14.19 We should try: Some manuscripts have “We try.” to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith.
20Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat. 21It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes problems for other followers of the Lord. 22What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts. 23But if you do have doubts about what you eat, you are going against your beliefs. And you know that is wrong, because anything you do against your beliefs is sin.
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Romans 14: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Romans 14
14
The Law of Liberty
1Welcome#Ac 28:2; Rm 11:15; 12:3; 15:7 anyone who is weak in faith,#Rm 15:1; 1Co 8:9–11; 9:22 but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2One person believes he may eat anything,#Rm 14:14 while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat,#Lk 18:9 and one who does not eat must not judge one who does,#Col 2:16 because God has accepted him.#Ac 28:2; Rm 11:15; 15:7 4Who are you to judge#Rm 9:20; Jms 4:12 another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able#14:4 Other mss read For God has the power to make him stand.
5One person judges one day to be more important than another day.#Gl 4:10 Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.#Lk 1:1; Rm 4:21 6Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.#14:6 Other mss add but whoever does not observe the day, it is to the Lord that he does not observe it Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;#Mt 14:19; 1Co 10:30; 1Tm 4:3–4 and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself.#Rm 8:38; 2Co 5:15; Gl 2:20; Php 1:20 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 the Lord.#Lk 20:38; Php 1:20; 1Th 5:10; Rv 14:13 9Christ died and returned to life#Rv 1:18; 2:8 for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.#Mt 28:18; Jn 12:24; Php 2:11; 1Th 5:10 10But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.#14:10 Other mss read of Christ#Rm 2:16; 2Co 5:10 11For it is written,
As I live, says the Lord,
every knee will bow to me, #
Php 2:10–11
and every tongue will give praise to God. # 14:11 Is 45:23; 49:18 #
Is 45:23; 49:18
12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.#Mt 12:36; 16:27; 1Pt 4:5
The Law of Love
13Therefore, let us no longer judge one another.#Mt 7:1; Rm 14:3 Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.#1Co 8:13 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.#Ac 10:15; Rm 14:2,20 Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.#1Co 8:7 15For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love.#Eph 5:2 Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.#1Co 8:11 16Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,#1Co 10:30; Ti 2:5 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,#1Co 8:8 but righteousness, peace, and joy#Rm 15:13; Gl 5:22 in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever serves Christ#Rm 16:18 in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.#2Co 8:21; Php 4:8; 1Pt 2:12
19So then, let us pursue what promotes peace#Ps 34:14; Rm 12:18; 1Co 7:15; 2Tm 2:22; Heb 12:14 and what builds up one another.#Rm 15:2; 1Co 10:23; 14:3,26; 2Co 12:19; Eph 4:12,29 20Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.#1Co 8:9–13 21It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.#14:21 Other mss add or offended or weakened 22Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.#1Jn 3:21 23But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,#Rm 14:5 because his eating is not from faith,#14:23 Or conviction and everything that is not from faith is sin.
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