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
How to Treat Christians Who Are Weak in Faith
1Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an argument over differences of opinion. 2Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables. 3People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people. 4Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful.
5One person decides that one day is holier than another. Another person decides that all days are the same. Every person must make his own decision. 6When people observe a special day, they observe it to honor the Lord. When people eat all kinds of foods, they honor the Lord as they eat, since they give thanks to God. Vegetarians also honor the Lord when they eat, and they, too, give thanks to God. 7It’s clear that we don’t live to honor ourselves, and we don’t die to honor ourselves. 8If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this reason Christ died and came back to life so that he would be the Lord of both the living and the dead.
10Why do you criticize or despise other Christians? Everyone will stand in front of God to be judged. 11Scripture says,
“As certainly as I live, says the Lord,
everyone will worship me,
and everyone will praise God.”
12All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God.
13So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
14The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is. 15So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person. 16Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
17God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. 18The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
19So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other. 20Don’t ruin God’s work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it’s wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. 21The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts. 22So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. 23But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn’t act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.