Römer 14 | King James Version

1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

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

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain. Please note the following exceptions for use and publication in the United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press

New International Reader’s Version

The weak and the strong

1 Accept the person whose faith is weak. Don’t argue with them where you have differences of opinion.

2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything. But another person eats only vegetables because their faith is weak.

3 The person who eats everything must not look down on the one who does not. And the one who doesn’t eat everything must not judge the person who does. That’s because God has accepted them.

4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? Whether they are faithful or not is their own master’s concern. And they will be faithful, because the Lord has the power to make them faithful.

5 One person considers one day to be more holy than another. Another person thinks all days are the same. Each of them should be absolutely sure in their own mind.

6 Whoever thinks that one day is special does so to honour the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to honour the Lord. They give thanks to God. And whoever doesn’t eat meat does so to honour the Lord. They also give thanks to God.

7 We don’t live for ourselves only. And we don’t die for ourselves only.

8 If we live, we live to honour the Lord. If we die, we die to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9 Christ died and came back to life. He did this to become the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 Now then, who are you to judge your brother or sister? Why do you act like you’re better than they are? We will all stand in God’s courtroom to be judged.

11 It is written, ‘ “You can be sure that I live,” says the Lord. “And you can be just as sure that everyone will kneel down in front of me. Every tongue will have to tell the truth about God.” ’

12 So we will all have to explain to God the things we have done.

13 Let us stop judging one another. Instead, decide not to put anything in the way of a brother or sister. Don’t put anything in their way that would make them trip and fall.

14 I am absolutely sure that nothing is ‘unclean’ in itself. The Lord Jesus has convinced me of this. But someone may consider a thing to be ‘unclean’. If they do, it is ‘unclean’ for them.

15 Your brother or sister may be upset by what you eat. If they are, you are no longer acting as though you love them. So don’t destroy them by what you eat. Remember that Christ died for them.

16 So suppose you know something is good. Then don’t let it be spoken of as if it were evil.

17 God’s kingdom is not about eating or drinking. It is about doing what is right and having peace and joy. All this comes through the Holy Spirit.

18 Those who serve Christ in this way are pleasing to God. They are pleasing to people too.

19 So let us do all we can to live in peace. And let us work hard to build up one another.

20 Don’t destroy the work of God because of food. All food is ‘clean’. But it’s wrong to eat anything that might cause problems for someone else’s faith.

21 Don’t eat meat if it causes your brother or sister to sin. Don’t drink wine or do anything else that will make them sin.

22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the person who doesn’t feel guilty for what they do.

23 But whoever has doubts about what they eat is guilty if they eat. That’s because their eating is not based on faith. Everything that is not based on faith is sin.

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