Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

Accept those whose faith is weak,^a without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat everything, but another person, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.^b The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt^c the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge^d the one who does, for God has accepted that person. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?^e To their own master they stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Some consider one day more sacred than another;^f others consider every day alike. Everyone should be fully convinced in their own mind. Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord. Those who eat meat do so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;^g and those who abstain do so to the Lord and give thanks to God. For we do not live to ourselves alone^h and we do not die to ourselves alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.ⁱ For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life^j so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.^k

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat your brother or sister with contempt?^l For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.^m It is written:

“ ‘As surely as I live,’ⁿ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will confess to God.’ ”^o

So then, we will all give an account of ourselves to God.^p

Therefore let us stop passing judgment^q on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.^r I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.^s But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.^t If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.^u Do not by your eating destroy your brother or sister for whom Christ died.^v Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.^w For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,^x but of righteousness, peace^y and joy in the Holy Spirit,^z because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.^a

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace^b and to mutual edification.^c Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.^d All food is clean,^e but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.^f It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.^g

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn^h themselves by what they approve. But those who have doubtsⁱ are condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.