14
1 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 you who
judge another’s
servant? To his
own lord he
stands or falls.
Yes, he will
be made to
stand, for God
has power to make
him stand.
5 One
man esteems one
day as
more important. Another esteems
every day alike.
Let each man
be fully assured
in his own
mind.
6 He
who observes the
day, observes it
to the Lord;
and he who
does not observe
the day, to
the Lord he
does not observe
it. He who
eats, eats to
the Lord, for
he gives God
thanks. He
who doesn’t eat,
to the Lord
he doesn’t eat,
and gives God
thanks.
7 For
none of us
lives to himself,
and none dies to
himself.
8 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 For
to this end
Christ died, rose,
and lived again,
that he might
be Lord of
both the dead
and the living.
10 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 Christ.
11 For
it is written,
“ ‘As I live,’
says the Lord, ‘to
me every knee
will bow.
Every tongue will
confess to
God.’ ”
12 So
then each one
of us will
give account of
himself to God.
13 Therefore
let’s not judge
one another any
more, but judge
this rather, that
no man put
a stumbling block
in his brother’s
way, or an occasion
for falling.
14 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 Yet
if because of
food your brother
is grieved, you
walk no longer
in love. Don’t destroy
with your food
him for whom
Christ died.
16 Then don’t
let your good
be slandered,
17 for
God’s Kingdom is
not eating and
drinking, but
righteousness, peace,
and joy in
the Holy Spirit.
18 For
he who serves
Christ in these
things is
acceptable to God
and approved by
men.
19 So
then, let’s follow
after things which
make for peace,
and things by
which we may
build one another
up.
20 Don’t
overthrow God’s
work for food’s
sake. All things
indeed are clean,
however it is
evil for that
man who creates a
stumbling block by
eating.
21 It
is good to
not eat meat,
drink wine, nor
do anything by
which your brother
stumbles, is
offended, or
is made weak.
22 Do
you have faith?
Have it to
yourself before
God. Happy is
he who doesn’t
judge himself in
that which he
approves.
23 But
he who doubts
is condemned if
he eats, because
it isn’t of
faith; and
whatever is not
of faith is sin.
24 Now to him who is able to
establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept
secret through long ages,
25 but now is revealed, and by
the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the
eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations;
26 to the only wise God, through
Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.