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
1As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. 2One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. 3#Col 2.16. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. 4Who 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 Master is able to make him stand.
5 #
Gal 4.10. One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7#Gal 2.20; 2 Cor 5.15. None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8#Phil 1.20. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 #
2 Cor 5.10. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11#Is 45.23; Phil 2.10-11. for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise#14.11 Or confess to God.”
12So each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 #
Mt 7.1; 1 Cor 8.13. Then let us no more pass judgment on one another, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean. 15#Rom 14.20; 1 Cor 8.11. If your brother is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16#1 Cor 10.30. So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; 18he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19#Mk 9.50; Rom 12.18; 1 Thess 5.11. Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20#Rom 14.15; 1 Cor 8.9-12. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats; 21#1 Cor 8.13. it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble.#14.21 Other ancient authorities add or be upset or be weakened 22#Rom 2.1. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God; happy is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves. 23But he who has doubts is condemned, if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.#14.23 Other authorities, some ancient, insert here Ch 16.25-27
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