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. ^p^q¹¹For it is written:

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to Me, ^r

and every tongue will give praise to God. ^s^t

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.

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Footnotes

g14:4 Other read For God has the power
j14:6 Other add but whoever does not observe the day, it is to the Lord that he does not observe it
p14:10 Other read of Christ

Cross references

b14:2 Rm 14:14
c14:3 Lk 18:9
d14:3 Col 2:16
e14:3 Ac 28:2; Rm 11:15; 15:7
f14:4 Rm 9:20; Jms 4:12
h14:5 Gl 4:10
i14:5 Lk 1:1; Rm 4:21
k14:6 Mt 14:19; 1Co 10:30; 1Tm 4:3–4
l14:7 Rm 8:38; 2Co 5:15; Gl 2:20; Php 1:20
m14:8 Lk 20:38; Php 1:20; 1Th 5:10; Rv 14:13
n14:9 Rv 1:18; 2:8
o14:9 Mt 28:18; Jn 12:24; Php 2:11; 1Th 5:10
q14:10 Rm 2:16; 2Co 5:10
r14:11 Php 2:10–11
s14:11 Is 45:23; 49:18
t14:11 Is 45:23; 49:18
u14:12 Mt 12:36; 16:27; 1Pt 4:5
v14:13 Mt 7:1; Rm 14:3
w14:13 1Co 8:13
x14:14 Ac 10:15; Rm 14:2, 20
y14:14 1Co 8:7
z14:15 Eph 5:2
a14:15 1Co 8:11
b14:16 1Co 10:30; Ti 2:5
c14:17 1Co 8:8
d14:17 Rm 15:13; Gl 5:22