Romans 14

1 Accept those who are still struggling to trust in God, and don't get into arguments over personal opinions.

Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.

2 One person may believe they can eat anything, while another whose trust is weak only eats vegetables.

One person has faith to eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables.

3 Those who eat anything must not look down on those who won't, and those who won't eat must not criticize those who do—for God has accepted them both.

Do not let the one who eats despise the one who does not eat. Do not let the one who does not eat judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.

4 What right do you have to judge someone else's servant? It's their own master who decides whether they are right or wrong. With the Lord's help they will be able to take their stand for right.

Who are you who judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand.

5 Some people consider some days more important than others, while others consider each day the same. Everyone should be completely convinced in their own minds.

One esteems one day as more important; and another one esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 Those who respect a special day do so for the Lord; and those who eat without worrying do so for the Lord since they give thanks to God; while those who avoid eating certain things do so for the Lord, and they also give thanks to God.

The one who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and the one who does not observe the day, he does not observe it to the Lord. The one who eats, he eats to the Lord; since he gives thanks to God. And the one who does not eat, he does not eat to the Lord, and gives thanks to God.

7 None of us live for ourselves, or die for ourselves.

For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.

8 If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord—so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

9 This was the reason Christ died and came back to life—so that he could be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

For to this end Christ died, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 So why do you criticize your fellow-believer? Why do you despise your fellow-believer? For all of us will stand before God's throne of judgment.

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

11 For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I am alive,’ the Lord says, ‘Every knee shall bow before me, and every tongue will declare that I am God.’”

For it is written, "'As I live,' says the Lord, 'to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.'"

12 So every one of us will have to explain ourselves to God.

So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.

13 Therefore let's not judge each other anymore, but decide to do this instead—we won't put obstacles in the way of fellow-believers, or cause them to fall.

Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, not to put a stumbling block in a brother's way, or an occasion for falling.

14 I'm certain—persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing in itself is ceremonially unclean. But if someone considers it to be unclean, to them it is unclean.

I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 If your fellow-believer is hurt by you over matters of food, then you're no longer behaving in a loving way. Don't destroy someone for whom Christ died by the food you choose to eat.

Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

16 Don't let the good things you do be misrepresented—

Then do not let your good be slandered,

17 for God's kingdom is not about eating and drinking, but about living right, having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18 Anyone who serves Christ in this way pleases God, and is appreciated by others.

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by people.

19 So let's pursue the path of peace, and find ways to encourage each other.

So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.

20 Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean—but it would be wrong to eat and offend others.

Do not overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for anyone who creates a stumbling block by eating.

21 It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or anything else that would cause your fellow-believer to stumble.

It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, or do anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 What you personally believe is between you and God. Happy are those who don't condemn themselves for doing what they think is right!

The faith you have, keep between yourself and God. Happy is the one who does not judge himself in that which he approves.

23 But if you have doubts whether it's right or wrong to eat something, then you shouldn't, because you're not convinced it's right. Whatever isn't based on conviction is sin.

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.