Romans 14-15

New King James Version

The Law of Liberty

14 Receive^(A) one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. ² For one believes he ^(B)may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and ^(C)let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. ^4 (D)Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

^5 (E)One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who ^(F)observes the day, observes it to the Lord; ^[a]and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for ^(G)he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ⁷ For ^(H)none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we ^(I)live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For ^(J)to this end Christ died ^[b]and rose and lived again, that He might be ^(K)Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰ But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For ^(L)we shall all stand before the judgment seat of ^[c]Christ. ¹¹ For it is written:

¹² So then ^(N)each of us shall give account of himself to God. ¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another ^[d]anymore, but rather resolve this, ^(O)not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

The Law of Love

¹⁴ I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus ^(P)that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. ^(Q)Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ^16 (R)Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ^17 (S)for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and ^(T)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who serves Christ in ^[e]these things ^(U)is acceptable to God and approved by men.

^19 (V)Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which ^(W)one may ^[f]edify another. ^20 (X)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. ^(Y)All things indeed are pure, ^(Z)but it is evil for the man who eats with ^[g]offense. ²¹ It is good neither to eat ^(AA)meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles ^[h]or is offended or is made weak. ^22 [i]Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. ^(AB)Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for ^(AC)whatever is not from faith is ^[j]sin.

Bearing Others’ Burdens

15 We ^(AD)then who are strong ought to bear with the ^[k]scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ^2 (AE)Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to ^[l]edification. ^3 (AF)For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ^(AG)“The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” ⁴ For ^(AH)whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the ^[m]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ^5 (AI)Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ that you may ^(AJ)with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glorify God Together

⁷ Therefore ^(AK)receive one another, just ^(AL)as Christ also received ^[n]us, to the glory of God. ⁸ Now I say that ^(AM)Jesus Christ has become a ^[o]servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, ^(AN)to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁹ and ^(AO)that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:

¹⁰ And again he says:

¹¹ And again:

¹² And again, Isaiah says:

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all ^(AT)joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

¹⁴ Now ^(AU)I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, ^(AV)filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish ^[p]one another. ¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, ^(AW)because of the grace given to me by God, ¹⁶ that ^(AX)I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the ^(AY)offering ^[q]of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus ^(AZ)in the things which pertain to God. ¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things ^(BA)which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, ^(BB)to make the Gentiles obedient— ^19 (BC)in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, ^(BD)lest I should build on another man’s foundation, ²¹ but as it is written:

Plan to Visit Rome

²² For this reason ^(BF)I also have been much hindered from coming to you. ²³ But now no longer having a place in these parts, and ^(BG)having a great desire these many years to come to you, ²⁴ whenever I journey to Spain, ^[r]I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, ^(BH)and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may ^(BI)enjoy your company for a while. ²⁵ But now ^(BJ)I am going to Jerusalem to ^[s]minister to the saints. ²⁶ For ^(BK)it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. ²⁷ It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For ^(BL)if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, ^(BM)their duty is also to minister to them in material things. ²⁸ Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them ^(BN)this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. ^29 (BO)But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing ^[t]of the gospel of Christ.

³⁰ Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and ^(BP)through the love of the Spirit, ^(BQ)that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, ^31 (BR)that I may be delivered from those in Judea who ^[u]do not believe, and that ^(BS)my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ^32 (BT)that I may come to you with joy ^(BU)by the will of God, and may ^(BV)be refreshed together with you. ³³ Now ^(BW)the God of peace be with you all. Amen.