Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

14 As for (A)the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. (B)One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and (C)let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. (D)Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master[a] that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

(E)One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. (F)Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since (G)he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For (H)none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, (I)whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ (J)died and lived again, that he might be Lord both (K)of the dead and of the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For (L)we will all stand before (M)the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

(N)“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall confess[b] to God.”

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

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

13 (P)Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide (Q)never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus (R)that nothing is unclean in itself, (S)but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, (T)you are no longer walking in love. (U)By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 (V)So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 (W)For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but (X)of righteousness and (Y)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is (Z)acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us (AA)pursue what makes for peace and for (AB)mutual upbuilding.

20 (AC)Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. (AD)Everything is indeed clean, but (AE)it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 (AF)It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[c] 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. (AG)Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:4 Or lord
  2. Romans 14:11 Or shall give praise
  3. Romans 14:21 Some manuscripts add or be hindered or be weakened
  4. Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts insert here 16:25–27

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.