Romans 14–16

The Law of Liberty

14Accept ^yanyone who is weak in faith, ^zabut don’t argue about doubtful issues. ²One person believes he may eat anything, ^bbut one who is weak eats only vegetables. ³One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, ^cand one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, ^dbecause God has accepted him. ^e4Who are you to criticize ^fanother’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is able ^gto make him stand.

⁵One person considers one day to be above another day. ^hSomeone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁱ⁶Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. ^jWhoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; ^kand whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. ⁷For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ^l8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ^m9Christ died and came to life ⁿfor this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living. ^o10But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God. ^pq11For it is written:

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to Me, ^r

and every tongue will give praise to God. ^st

¹²So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. ^u

The Law of Love

¹³Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another. ^vInstead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way. ^w14(I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. ^xStill, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. ^y) ¹⁵For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. ^zDo not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat. ^a16Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, ^b17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, ^cbut righteousness, peace, and joy ^din the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Whoever serves Christ ^ein this way is acceptable to God and approved by men. ^f

¹⁹So then, we must pursue what promotes peace ^gand what builds up one another. ^h20Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. ⁱ²¹It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble. ^j22Do you have a conviction? ^kKeep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed. ^l23But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, ^mbecause his eating is not from a conviction, ⁿand everything that is not from a conviction ^ois sin.

Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves

15Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, ^pand not to please ourselves. ²Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ^q3For even the Messiah did not please Himself. ^rOn the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me. ^st4For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, ^uso that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. ⁵Now may the God who gives ^vendurance and encouragement ^wallow you to live in harmony with one another, ^xaccording to the command of Christ Jesus, ⁶so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ^ywith a united mind and voice.

Glorifying God Together

⁷Therefore accept one another, ^zjust as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. ⁸For I say that the Messiah became a servant of the circumcised ^aon behalf of God’s truth, ^bto confirm the promises to the fathers, ^c9and so that Gentiles ^dmay glorify God for His mercy. ^eAs it is written:

Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles,

and I will sing psalms to Your name. ^fg

¹⁰Again it says: Rejoice, you Gentiles, with His people! ^hi11And again:

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;

all the peoples should praise Him! ^jk

¹²And again, Isaiah says:

The root of Jesse ^lwill appear,

the One who rises to rule the Gentiles;

the Gentiles will hope in Him. ^mn

¹³Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him ^oso that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. ^p

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

¹⁴My brothers, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, ^qfilled with all knowledge, ^rand able to instruct one another. ¹⁵Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points ^sbecause of the grace given me by God ^t16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ^userving as a priest of God’s good news. ^vMy purpose is that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, ^wsanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus ^xregarding what pertains to God. ^y18For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me ^zto make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, ^aand by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the good news about the Messiah from Jerusalem ^ball the way around to Illyricum. ^cd20My aim is to evangelize where Christ has not been named, ^eso that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, ^f21but, as it is written:

Those who were not told about Him will see,

and those who have not heard will understand. ^gh

Paul’s Travel Plans

²²That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. ⁱ²³But now I no longer have any work to do in these provinces, ^jand I have strongly desired for many years to come to you ^k24whenever I travel to Spain. ^lFor I hope to see you when I pass through, and to be assisted by you for my journey there, ^monce I have first enjoyed your company ⁿfor a while. ²⁵Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem ^oto serve the saints, ^p26for Macedonia ^qand Achaia ^rswere pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. ²⁷Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, ^tthen they are obligated to minister to Jews in material needs. ²⁸So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds ^uto them, ^vI will visit you on the way to Spain. ²⁹I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing ^wof Christ.

³⁰Now I appeal to you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, ^xto join with me in fervent prayers to God on my behalf. ^y31Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, ^zthat the gift I am bringing to ^aJerusalem ^bmay be acceptable to the saints, ^c32and that, by God’s will, ^dI may come to you with joy ^eand be refreshed together with you.

³³The God of peace be with all of you. ^fAmen.

Paul’s Commendation of Phoebe

16I commend to you ^gour sister Phoebe, who is a servant ^hof the church in Cenchreae. ⁱ²So you should welcome her in the Lord ^jin a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.

Greeting to Roman Christians

³Give my greetings to Prisca ^kand Aquila, ^lmy coworkers in ^mChrist Jesus, ⁿ⁴who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches.

⁵Greet also the church that meets in their home. ^o

Greet my dear friend Epaenetus, who is the first convert ^pqto Christ from Asia. ^rs

⁶Greet Mary, ^twho has worked very hard for you. ^u

⁷Greet Andronicus and Junia, ^vmy fellow countrymen ^wand fellow prisoners. ^xThey are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, ^yzand they were also in Christ before me.

⁸Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

⁹Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

¹⁰Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ.

Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. ^a

¹¹Greet Herodion, my fellow countryman.

Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹²Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, who have worked hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord.

¹³Greet Rufus, ^bchosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine.

¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them.

¹⁵Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. ^c

¹⁶Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^d

All the churches of Christ send you greetings.

Warning against Divisive People

¹⁷Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause dissensions and obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have learned. ^eAvoid them, ^f18for such people do not serve our Lord Christ ^gbut their own appetites. ^hiThey deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words. ^j

Paul’s Gracious Conclusion

¹⁹The report of your obedience has reached everyone. ^kTherefore I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good, yet innocent about what is evil. ^l20The God of peace ^mwill soon crush Satan ⁿunder your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. ^o

²¹Timothy, ^pmy coworker, and Lucius, ^qJason, ^rand Sosipater, ^smy fellow countrymen, greet you.

²²I Tertius, who wrote this letter, ^tgreet you in the Lord. ^u

²³Gaius, ^vwho is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, ^wthe city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.

[²⁴The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.] ^x

Glory to God

²⁵Now to Him who has power to strengthen you ^yaccording to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ, ^zaccording to the revelation of the mystery kept silent ^afor long ages ^b26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures, ^caccording to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith ^deamong all nations— ²⁷to the only wise…