Romans 14

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.