The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

(Matthew 7:1–6; Luke 6:37–42)

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.(a)

For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.

The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

He who observes a special day does so to the Lord;(b) he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.

If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

For this reason Christ died and returned to life, that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

It is written: “As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before Me; every tongue will confess to God.”(c)

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

The Law of Love

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.

I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.

Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.(d)

Keep your belief about such matters between yourself and God.(e) Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.(f)

Footnotes

(a)14:1 Or without quarreling over disputable matters

(b)14:6 BYZ and TR include he who does not regard the day, to the Lord he does not regard it;

(d)14:21 SBL, BYZ, and TR include or to be hindered or weakened.

(e)14:22 Literally Keep the faith that you have to yourself before God

(f)14:23 Some manuscripts place the text of Romans 16:25–27 here.

(Matthew 7:1–6; Luke 6:37–42)

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.

One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks.

For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

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

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”(a)

So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.

The Law of Love

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; 1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

Then don’t let your good be slandered,

for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves.

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.(b)

Footnotes

(a)14:11 ℘ Isaiah 45:23

(b)14:26 TR places verses 24-26 after Romans 16:24 as verses 25-27.