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Romans 14
New Catholic Bible
Romans 14
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 14
The Weak and the Strong in the Community.[a] 1 Welcome anyone whose faith is weak, but do not get into arguments about doubts. 2 One person may have the faith to eat any kind of food, whereas a weak person may eat only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not look contemptuously on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed both. 4 What right do you have to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? The master will determine whether that servant will stand or fall. But the servant will be upheld, for the Lord has the power to enable him to stand.
5 One person may consider one day to be more sacred than another, while another may judge all days to be alike. Let everyone be convinced in his own beliefs. 6 Whoever observes the day observes it for the Lord. Also, the one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and thereby also gives thanks to God.
7 None of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 It was for this reason that Christ died and came to life again: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 Why then do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? All of us will have to stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord,
every knee shall bow before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”
12 Consideration for the Weak Conscience. So, then, each one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore, let us cease passing judgment on one another, but rather judge never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know, and am convinced in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. However, it is unclean for someone who believes it to be unclean.
15 If your brother is seriously offended by what you eat, then you are no longer being guided by love. Do not allow the food that you eat to destroy anyone for whom Christ died. 16 Do not let what you think is good to become what others say is evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 The one who serves Christ in such things is pleasing to God and respected by others.
19 Let us[b] then pursue the ways that lead to peace and mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to cause others to fall by what you eat. 21 It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes your brother to stumble.
22 Whatever faith you have, keep it between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act from faith. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Footnotes
- Romans 14:1 Two groups or tendencies are already manifested in the early Christian communities. Some cling, though not without some scruples, to the religious practices in which they have been reared: refusal of sacrificed meats or abstentions from foods on certain days—and these may be termed “the weak.” Others, in the same freedom of the Gospel, criticize the former—and these may be termed “the strong.” The text evokes a situation like that in Corinth (1 Cor 8:4-13).
Paul has always been categorically opposed to confusing grace with the Law; he has refused to impose either Jewish or Gentile practices on new converts and has declared that all ancient religious practices are excluded as a way to gain justification. He is undoubtedly also aware of the teaching of Jesus concerning what is clean and unclean (Mk 7:1-23). Moreover, he has never refused to allow Christians of Jewish origin to esteem attachment to their religious tradition. He has put clamps on the new freedom only when such freedom turns into provocative pretense and an attitude of superiority.
Freedom is not given to enable someone to criticize others; it does not consist in remonstrating with others about theory or comportment. No principle of freedom can lead to an attitude of scorn or incomprehension. Christians maintain a desire for the salvation of all, and regard everyone as a brother or sister for whom Christ died. They are open to safeguard the relations and exchanges of a varied and pluralist community. Profound respect for the conscience of each person is required, as is the refusal to judge one another. Most important, all must have the freedom to act according to their consciences before God (see Acts 15). - Romans 14:19 Let us: some manuscripts and Fathers of the Church have: “We.”
Romans 14
New International Version
Romans 14
New International Version
The Weak and the Strong
14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.(B) 3 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. 4 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.
5 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. 6 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. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone,(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 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) 9 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
- 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.
- Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23
- Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts place 16:25-27 here; others after 15:33.
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