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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Romans 14: GW
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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.
Romans 14
14
Romans 14
1¶ Bear with the one who is sick in the faith, but not unto doubtful discernment.
2For one believes that he may eat all things; another, who is sick, eats vegetables.
3Let not him that eats despise him that does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him that eats; for God has raised him up.
4Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? By his own master he stands or falls; and if he falls, he shall be made to stand, for God is powerful to make him stand.
5Also, some make a difference between one day and another; others esteem every day alike. Let each one be fully persuaded in his own soul.
6He that observes the day, let him observe it unto the Lord; and he that does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He that eats, eats unto the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that does not eat, unto the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
7For none of us live for ourselves, and no one dies for himself.
8For if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived: to thus exercise lordship over the dead as well as over the living.
10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou belittle thy brother? for we shall all stand before the tribunal of the Christ.
11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13Let us, therefore, not judge one another any more, but judge this rather: that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14I know and trust in the Lord Jesus that for his sake there is nothing unclean, but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15But if thy brother is grieved because of thy food, now thou dost not walk in charity. Do not destroy him with thy food, for whom Christ died.
16Let not then your good be evil spoken of;
17for the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18For he that in these things serves the Christ is well pleasing unto God and approved of men.
19Let us, therefore, follow after the things which make for peace and the edification of each one to the others.
20Because of food, do not destroy the work of God. All things indeed are clean, but it is evil for that man who eats with offense.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor do any thing by which thy brother stumbles or is offended or is sick.
22Thou hast faith; have it to thyself before God. Blessed is he that does not condemn himself with that thing which he allows.
23And he that makes a difference is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat by faith; and whatsoever is not out of faith is sin.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International