Romans 14 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 14

To Live and Die for Christ. 1 [a]Welcome anyone who is weak in faith,(A) but not for disputes over opinions.(B) 2 One person believes that one may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.(C) 3 The one who eats must not despise the one who abstains, and the one who abstains must not pass judgment on the one who eats; for God has welcomed him.(D) 4 Who are you to pass judgment on someone else’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.(E) 5 [For] one person considers one day more important than another, while another person considers all days alike.(F) Let everyone be fully persuaded in his own mind.[b] 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the Lord. Also whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while whoever abstains, abstains for the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. 8 For if we live, we live for the Lord,[c] and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.(G) 9 For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.(H) 10 Why then do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;(I) 11 for it is written:

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.”(J)

12 So [then] each of us shall give an account of himself [to God].(K)

Consideration for the Weak Conscience. 13 Then let us no longer judge one another, but rather resolve never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.(L) 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; still, it is unclean for someone who thinks it unclean.(M) 15 If your brother is being hurt by what you eat, your conduct is no longer in accord with love. Do not because of your food destroy him for whom Christ died.(N) 16 So do not let your good be reviled.(O) 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit;(P) 18 whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others. 19 Let us[d] then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.(Q) 20 For the sake of food, do not destroy the work of God.(R) Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to become a stumbling block by eating; 21 it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 Keep the faith [that] you have to yourself in the presence of God; blessed is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves. 23 (S)But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because this is not from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.[e]

Footnotes

  1. 14:1–15:6 Since Christ spells termination of the law, which included observance of specific days and festivals as well as dietary instruction, the jettisoning of long-practiced customs was traumatic for many Christians brought up under the Mosaic code. Although Paul acknowledges that in principle no food is a source of moral contamination (Rom 14:14), he recommends that the consciences of Christians who are scrupulous in this regard be respected by other Christians (Rom 14:21). On the other hand, those who have scruples are not to sit in judgment on those who know that the gospel has liberated them from such ordinances (Rom 14:10). See 1 Cor 8; 10.
  2. 14:5 Since the problem to be overcome was humanity’s perverted mind or judgment (Rom 1:28), Paul indicates that the mind of the Christian is now able to function with appropriate discrimination (cf. Rom 12:2).
  3. 14:8 The Lord: Jesus, our Master. The same Greek word, kyrios, was applied to both rulers and holders of slaves. Throughout the Letter to the Romans Paul emphasizes God’s total claim on the believer; see note on Rom 1:1.
  4. 14:19 Some manuscripts, versions, and church Fathers read, “We then pursue…”; cf. Rom 5:1.
  5. 14:23 Whatever is not from faith is sin: Paul does not mean that all the actions of unbelievers are sinful. He addresses himself to the question of intracommunity living. Sin in the singular is the dreadful power described in Rom 5:12–14.

Cross references

  1. 14:1–23 : 1 Cor 8:1–13.
  2. 14:1 : 15:1, 7; 1 Cor 9:22.
  3. 14:2 : Gn 1:29; 9:3; 1 Cor 8:1–13; 10:14–33.
  4. 14:3 : Col 2:16.
  5. 14:4 : 2:1; Mt 7:11; Jas 4:11–12.
  6. 14:5 : Gal 4:10.
  7. 14:8 : Lk 20:38; 2 Cor 5:15; Gal 2:20; 1 Thes 5:10.
  8. 14:9 : Acts 10:42.
  9. 14:10 : Acts 17:31; 2 Cor 5:10.
  10. 14:11 : Is 49:18 / Is 45:23; Phil 2:10–11.
  11. 14:12 : Gal 6:5.
  12. 14:13 : 1 Cor 8:9, 13.
  13. 14:14 : Mk 7:5, 20; Acts 10:15; 1 Cor 10:25–27; 1 Tm 4:4.
  14. 14:15 : 1 Cor 8:11–13.
  15. 14:16 : 2:24; Ti 2:5.
  16. 14:17 : 1 Cor 8:8.
  17. 14:19 : 12:18 / 15:2.
  18. 14:20–21 : 1 Cor 8:11–13; 10:28–29; Ti 1:15.
  19. 14:23 : Ti 1:15; Jas 4:17.

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14 And him who is weak in the faith receive ye -- not to determinations of reasonings; 2 one doth believe that he may eat all things -- and he who is weak doth eat herbs; 3 let not him who is eating despise him who is not eating: and let not him who is not eating judge him who is eating, for God did...
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Romans 14 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

14 But take ye a frail man in belief, not in deemings of thoughts. [Forsooth take ye a sick man in belief, not in deceptions, or disputations, of thoughts.] 2 For another man believeth, that he may eat all things; but he that is frail [but he that is sick, or unsteadfast], eat worts. 3 He that eat...
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Romans 14 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

14 Be ready to take a person into the church even if he does not know and believe all you believe. Do not judge what he thinks about things. 2 One person believes he may eat anything. Another person, who does not believe that, eats only things that grow in the garden. 3 The one who eats anything mus...
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Romans 14 - World English Bible (WEB)

14 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2 One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are y...
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Romans 14 - The Voice (VOICE)

14 It’s high time that you welcome all people weak in the faith without debating and disputing their opinions. 2 Here’s the issue: One person believes that nothing’s off the menu; he’ll eat any food put before him. But there’s another believer—we’ll call him the weaker—who eats only vegetables becau...
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Romans 14 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Unity in Community14 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of disputes about opinions. 2 One person has faith to eat anything, but the weak eats only vegetables. 3 Don’t let the one who eats disparage the one who does not eat, and don’t let the one who does not eat judge...
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Romans 14 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Do Not Judge Another14 As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions.[a] 2 One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; ...
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Romans 14 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Do Not Judge Another14 As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. 2 One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for...
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Romans 14 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

14 Receive the one who is weak in the faith, but not for passing judgment on his reasoning. 2 One believes that he may eat all things. And another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 Do not let the one who eats treat the one who does not eat with contempt. And do not let the one who does not eat j...
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Romans 14 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The Weak and the Strong14 Welcome someone who is weak in faith, but not in order to have disputes on difficult points. 2 One person believes it is all right to eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats should not despise the one who does not, and the one who does...
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Romans 14 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Do Not Judge Another14 Welcome those who are weak in faith,[a] but not for the purpose of quarrelling 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 judgement on those who...
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Romans 14 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Do Not Judge Another14 Welcome those who are weak in faith[a] but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.(A)2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.(B)3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who ...
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Romans 14 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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Romans 14 - New Living Translation (NLT)

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Romans 14 - New Life Version (NLV)

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Romans 14 - New King James Version (NKJV)

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