Romans 14–16

Do Not Judge Another

¹⁴Welcome those who are weak in faith^g but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.^{* 2}Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.^{* 3}Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat, for God has welcomed them. ⁴Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord^h is able to make them stand.

⁵Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. ⁶Those who observe the day, observe it for the Lord. Also those who eat, eat for the Lord, since they give thanks to God, while those who abstain, abstain for the Lord and give thanks to God.^*

⁷For we do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.^{* 8}If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.^*

¹⁰Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.^{i* 11}For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall give praise to^j God.”^*

¹²So then, each one of us will be held accountable.^k*

Do Not Make Another Stumble

¹³Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother or sister.^{* 14}I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who considers it unclean.^{* 15}If your brother or sister is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶So do not let your good be slandered. ¹⁷For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.^{* 18}The one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has human approval.^{* 19}Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.^{* 20}Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong to make someone stumble by what you eat; ²¹it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.^{l* 22}Hold the conviction that you have as your own before God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves because of what they approve. ²³But those who have doubts are condemned if they eat because they do not act from faith,^m for whatever does not proceed from faithⁿ is sin.^o

Please Others, Not Yourselves

¹⁵We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.^{* 2}Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor.^{* 3}For Christ did not please himself, but, as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.^{* 5}May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus,^{* 6}so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike

⁷Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ⁸For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the ancestors^{* 9}and that the gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the gentiles

and sing praises to your name”;^*

¹⁰and again he says,

“Rejoice, O gentiles, with his people”;

¹¹and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you gentiles,

and let all the peoples praise him”;

¹²and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,

the one who rises to rule the gentiles;

in him the gentiles shall hope.”^*

¹³May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.^*

Paul’s Reason for Writing So Boldly

¹⁴I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.^{* 15}Nevertheless, on some points I have written to you rather boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God^{* 16}to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.^{* 17}In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast of my work for God. ¹⁸For I will not be so bold as to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to win obedience from the gentiles, by word and deed, ¹⁹by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit,^p so that from Jerusalem and as far around as Illyricum I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.^{* 20}Thus I make it my ambition to proclaim the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, so that I do not build on someone else’s foundation,^{* 21}but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him shall see,

and those who have never heard of him shall understand.”^*

Paul’s Plan to Visit Rome

²²This is the reason that I have so often been hindered from coming to you. ²³But now, with no further place for me in these regions, I desire, as I have for many years, to come to you^{* 24}when I go to Spain. For I do hope to see you on my journey and to be sent on by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little while. ²⁵At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints,^{* 26}for Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to share their resources with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.^{* 27}They were pleased to do this, and indeed they owe it to them, for if the gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things.^{* 28}So, when I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected,^q I will set out by way of you to Spain, ²⁹and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing^r of Christ.

³⁰I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in earnest prayer to God on my behalf,^{* 31}that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my ministry^s to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ³²so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.^{* 33}The God of peace be with all of you.^t Amen.^*

Personal Greetings

¹⁶I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon^u of the church at Cenchreae,^{* 2}so that you may welcome her in the Lord, as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.

³Greet Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus,^{* 4}who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but also all the churches of the gentiles. ⁵Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert^v in Asia for Christ.^{* 6}Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. ⁷Greet Andronicus and Junia,^w my fellow Israelites who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. ⁸Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.^{* 10}Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. ¹¹Greet my fellow Israelite Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. ¹²Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. ¹³Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and greet his mother—a mother to me also. ¹⁴Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. ¹⁵Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.^{* 16}Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.^*

Final Instructions

¹⁷I urge you, brothers and sisters, to keep an eye on those who create dissensions and hindrances, in opposition to the teaching that you have learned; avoid them.^{* 18}For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites,^x and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded.^{* 19}For your obedience is known to all; therefore, I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and guileless in what is evil.^{* 20}The God of peace will shortly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.^y*

²¹Timothy, my coworker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Israelites.^*

²²I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord.^z

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

Final Doxology

²⁵Now to God^b who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages^{* 26}but is now disclosed and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith^*—²⁷to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.^c