Principles of Conscience

14 Now (A)accept the one who is (B)weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. (C)One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is (D)weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to (E)regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to (F)judge the one who eats, for God has (G)accepted him. (H)Who are you to judge the [a]servant of another? To his own [b]master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

(I)One person [c]regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be (J)fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, [d]does so for the Lord, for he (K)gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us (L)lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore (M)whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end (N)Christ died and lived again, that He might be (O)Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you (P)regard your brother with contempt? For (Q)we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

(R)As I live, says the Lord, (S)every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall [e]give praise to God.”

12 So then (T)each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:4 Or house-servant
  2. Romans 14:4 Lit lord
  3. Romans 14:5 Lit judges
  4. Romans 14:6 Lit eats
  5. Romans 14:11 Or confess

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)

Read full chapter

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

16 Therefore no one is to [a](A)act as your judge in regard to (B)food or (C)drink or in respect to a (D)festival or a (E)new moon or a (F)Sabbath [b]day—

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Colossians 2:16 Lit judge you
  2. Colossians 2:16 Or days

Freedom From Human Rules

16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you(A) by what you eat or drink,(B) or with regard to a religious festival,(C) a New Moon celebration(D) or a Sabbath day.(E)

Read full chapter