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Accept Those Weak In The Faith

14 Now be accepting the one being weak in the faith[a]— [but] not for disputes[b] about opinions[c].

Don’t Judge The Opinions of Fellow Servants of Your Master

One has faith to eat all things, but the one being weak eats vegetables[d]. Let not the one eating be treating-with-contempt[e] the one not eating. And let not the one not eating be judging[f] the one eating— for God accepted him. Who are you, the one judging a household-servant belonging-to-another? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Live For The Lord As You Think Best, For Each of Us Will Give an Account To God

For one judges a day beyond a day[g], but another judges every day alike. Let each one be fully-convinced in his own mind[h]. The one thinking[i] as to the day, is thinking for the Lord. And the one eating, is eating for the Lord— for he gives-thanks to God. And the one not eating, is not eating for the Lord— and he gives-thanks to God. For[j] none of us lives for himself, and none dies for himself. For if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore if we live and if we die, we are the Lord’s. For Christ died and came-to-life for this: that He might be-Lord both of dead and living ones. 10 But why are you judging your brother? Or why also are you treating your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment-seat of God. 11 For it has been written [in Isa 45:23]: “As I live”, says the Lord, “every knee will bow to Me. And every tongue will confess-out to God”. 12 So then, each of us will give an account for himself to God.

Don’t Let Your Good Choices Cause Spiritual Harm To Others; Walk In Love

13 Therefore let us no longer be judging one another. But rather judge[k] this: not to be placing an opportunity-for-stumbling[l] or a cause-of-falling[m] for the brother (14 I know[n] and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing[o] is defiled[p] in itself [q], except to the one considering anything to be defiled— to that[r] one it is defiled). 15 For if your brother is grieved[s] because of food, you are no longer walking according-to love. Do not be destroying with[t] your food that one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not be letting your good thing be blasphemed[u]. 17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness[v] and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one serving[w] Christ in this is pleasing to God and approved by people.

Let Us Be Pursuing Peace And Things That Build Up, Not Things That Tear Down

19 So then, let us be pursuing the things of [x] peace and the things of edification for one another. 20 Do not be tearing-down the work of God for the sake of food. All things are clean— but it is evil for the person eating with an opportunity-for-stumbling. 21 It is good not to eat meats, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

Hold To Your Convictions, But Carry The Weak. Don’t Just Please Yourselves

22 The faith which you have, be having for[y] yourself in the sight of God. Blessed is the one not judging himself in what he is approving. 23 But the one doubting has been condemned if he eats, because it was not from faith— and everything which is not from faith is sin.

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:1 Or, weak in faith. Their faith does not allow them to live in the full freedom of Christ. They are bound by customs and traditions from their former life. The weak sometimes judge a person who does not do as they do. The strong sometimes treat the weak with contempt because of their opinions.
  2. Romans 14:1 This word means ‘discernments, judgments’, and then the ‘disputes, quarrels’ that result from this behavior.
  3. Romans 14:1 Or, reasonings, thoughts.
  4. Romans 14:2 The weak one’s faith leads him to conclude that the meat has a negative spiritual significance and must be avoided.
  5. Romans 14:3 Or, despising, disregarding.
  6. Romans 14:3 Or, passing judgment on.
  7. Romans 14:5 That is, one day as spiritually more significant than another.
  8. Romans 14:5 Each should follow the course proceeding from their own faith in Christ.
  9. Romans 14:6 That is, thinking of it in a special way out of a desire to honor the Lord.
  10. Romans 14:7 Paul generalizes from these cases to the broad view. In all of life and death, we live for the Lord.
  11. Romans 14:13 That is, determine, decide, resolve.
  12. Romans 14:13 Or, an occasion to take offense or stumble into sin.
  13. Romans 14:13 The former case causes an unintended stumble; the cause of falling is a consciously chosen thing. The person deliberately proceeds with behavior known to be objectionable to the weak, perhaps even in defiance of them.
  14. Romans 14:14 As to knowledge, the strong are correct. But there is another way to view the matter besides ‘in itself’.
  15. Romans 14:14 That is, nothing in the category of things being discussed here.
  16. Romans 14:14 Or, unclean, impure.
  17. Romans 14:14 That is, by means of being what it is. Even in the OT, pig was not unclean because it was pig. All God’s creation is good. It was defined as unclean to Israel by God’s Law.
  18. Romans 14:14 Regardless of what it is in itself or to God, it is defiled to the conscience of the one thinking it such.
  19. Romans 14:15 Or, distressed, caused pain, caused sorrow.
  20. Romans 14:15 Or, for.
  21. Romans 14:16 Or spoken against.
  22. Romans 14:17 It is the subjective experience of these three things that the strong can take from the weak.
  23. Romans 14:18 That is, serving-as-slave to Christ.
  24. Romans 14:19 That is, belonging to; or, leading to.
  25. Romans 14:22 That is, in the interest of, in relation to.

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.(B) The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

One person considers one day more sacred than another;(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone,(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.(I) For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life(J) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.(K)

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?(L) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.(M) 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’(N) says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b](O)

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.(P)

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment(Q) on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.(R) 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.(S) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.(T) 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.(U) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.(V) 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.(W) 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,(X) but of righteousness, peace(Y) and joy in the Holy Spirit,(Z) 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.(AA)

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace(AB) and to mutual edification.(AC) 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.(AD) All food is clean,(AE) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.(AF) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.(AG)

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn(AH) himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts(AI) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:10 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verses 13, 15 and 21.
  2. Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23
  3. Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts place 16:25-27 here; others after 15:33.

14 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore 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.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.