Romans 14
14
Don’t Criticize Others
1Be willing to accept those who still have doubts about what believers can do. And don’t argue with them about their different ideas. 2Some people believe they can eat any kind of food,#14:2 any kind of food The Jewish law said there were some foods that Jews could not eat. When they became followers of Christ, some of them did not understand that they could now eat all foods. but those who have doubts eat only vegetables. 3Those who know they can eat any kind of food must not feel that they are better than those who eat only vegetables. And those who eat only vegetables must not decide that those who eat all foods are wrong. God has accepted them. 4You cannot judge the servants of someone else. Their own master decides if they are doing right or wrong. And the Lord’s servants will be right, because the Lord is able to make them right.
5Some people might believe that one day is more important than another. And others might believe that every day is the same. Everyone should be sure about their beliefs in their own mind. 6Those who think one day is more important than other days are doing that for the Lord. And those who eat all kinds of food are doing that for the Lord. Yes, they give thanks to God for that food. And those who refuse to eat some foods do that for the Lord. They also give thanks to God.
7We don’t live or die just for ourselves. 8If we live, we are living for the Lord. And if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord. 9That is why Christ died and rose from death to live again—so that he could be Lord over those who have died and those who are living.
10So why do you judge your brother or sister in Christ? Or why do you think that you are better than they are? We will all stand before God, and he will judge us all. 11Yes, the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘Everyone will bow before me;
everyone will say that I am God.’” Isaiah 45:23
12So each of us will have to explain to God about the things we do.
Don’t Cause Others to Sin
13So we should stop judging each other. Let’s decide not to do anything that will cause a problem for a brother or sister or hurt their faith. 14I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat. The Lord Jesus is the one who convinced me of that. But if someone believes that something is wrong, then it is wrong for that person.
15If you hurt the faith of your brother or sister because of something you eat, you are not really following the way of love. Don’t destroy anyone’s faith by eating something they think is wrong. Christ died for them. 16Don’t allow what is good for you to become something they say is evil. 17In God’s kingdom, what we eat and drink is not important. Here is what is important: a right way of life, peace, and joy—all from the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God, and they will be accepted by others.
19So let’s try as hard as we can to do what will bring peace. Let’s do whatever will help each other grow stronger in faith. 20Don’t let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All food is right to eat, but it is wrong for anyone to eat something that hurts the faith of another person. 21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that hurts the faith of your brother or sister.
22You should keep your beliefs about these things a secret between yourself and God. It is a blessing to be able to do what you think is right without feeling guilty. 23But anyone who eats something without being sure it is right is doing wrong. That is because they did not believe it was right. And if you do anything that you believe is not right, it is sin.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Romans 14
14
1Welcome the one who is weak in emunah (faith). But not for the purpose of setting him straight in arguments.
2For example, one person has emunah (faith) to eat every potential food; but the weak practice vegetarianism.
3Let the one who eats not hold in contempt or despise the one who does not eat, and let not the one who does not eat pass judgment on the one who eats, for Hashem treats him as an oreach ratzuy (welcome guest).
4Who are you to condemn the eved (house slave) of someone else? In relation to Ribbono (shel Olam) he stands or falls. And he shall stand, for Ribbono (shel Olam) is able to make him stand.
5One person judges one day to be more important than another; another person judges every day to be alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6The one who holds an opinion on the day does so to Hashem. And the one who eats does so to Hashem, for he does the bentshen (custom of saying grace after meals) of the Birkat Hamazon to Hashem. And the one who does not eat does so to Hashem and gives the hodayah (thanksgiving) to Hashem.
7For no one of us lives for himself and no one dies for himself.
8For if we live, we live for Hashem; and if we die, we die for Hashem. So whether we live or we die, we belong to Hashem.
9For it was for this tachlis (purpose) that Moshiach had his histalkus and came to live again, in order that he might have charge as Moshiach Adoneinu over both the Mesim (dead ones) and the Chayyim (living ones).
10So you, why do you judge your Ach b'Moshiach? Or you, why do you despise your Ach b'Moshiach? For we shall all stand in the Bet Din (Court of Law) of Hashem#14:10 see 2C 5:10 before his Kisse Din (judgment seat), his Kisse Mishpat,
11For it is written, “As I live, says Hashem, before Me KOL BERECH (every knee) will bow and KOL LASHON (every tongue) shall give praise to Hashem.”#14:11 Isa 45:23
12So then each of us will give account of himself to Hashem.
13Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but decide this rather: not to put an occasion for michshol (stumbling, offense, downfall)#14:13 Ro 9:32-33 in the way of the Ach b'Moshiach.
14I have da'as and am convinced in Adoneinu Yehoshua that nothing is tamei beetzem (intrinsically), except that to the one who reckons something profane, to that person it is profane.
15For if your Ach B'Moshiach is deeply upset on account of [your] okhel (food), you are no longer conducting yourself in terms of ahavah. Do not by your okhel destroy that one for whom Moshiach died.
16Therefore, do not let HaTov of you be brought into contempt.
17For the Malchut Hashem is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of tzedek (righteousness),#14:17 Dan 9:24 shalom (peace) and simcha b'Ruach Hakodesh.
18For he who serves Moshiach in this is pleasing to Hashem and approved by people in general.
19So then we pursue what makes for shalom and for the building up of one another.
20Do not for the sake of okhel bring churban to the work of Hashem. All okhel is tahor but it is wrong to eat anything that causes nisyonot.
21It is a fine thing not to eat meat nor drink wine nor anything by which your Ach b'Moshiach stumbles.
22The emunah that you have, keep beshita (as a matter of conviction or principle) to yourself before G-d. Ashrey is the man who does not condemn himself by the things he approves.
23But in the man who doubts, there is found in him a dvar ashmah (a thing of guilt, condemnation) if he eats, because it is not of emunah. And whatever is not of emunah is averah (sin).
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
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