Romans 14
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The Christians in Rome
- What was happening
- The weak and the strong: food, days, and welcome
What’s happening
"Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 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. 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." One man esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. "He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn't eat, it is to the Lord that he doesn't eat, and gives God thanks." For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord. If we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. "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." As it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, to me every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess to God." So then each one of us will give account of himself to God. "Let's not therefore 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." "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." For 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. "Then don't let your good be slandered, for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." He who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. "So then let's follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 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. It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak. The faith which you have, have to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn't judge himself in that which he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn't of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin."
Why the setting matters
Chapters 14 and 15 address a practical conflict between Christians of different convictions, called the "strong" and the "weak." Paul does not say who exactly they are, but the issues, food and holy days, fit a mixed church of Jews and Gentiles: Jewish believers who kept food laws and the Sabbath, and Gentile believers who did not. Another background possibility is meat sold in Roman markets that had been offered to idols (as in 1 Corinthians 8 to 10), which would lead some to avoid meat altogether. Paul places himself with the strong in principle ("nothing is unclean of itself") but asks the strong to give way for the sake of the weak, which is the opposite of what most people expect in such disputes. Paul calls these matters "opinions," not essentials. Each person is accountable to God, not to each other: the "judgment seat" (bēma) is the same word as in Acts 18. "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking" is Paul's shortest summary of what really matters. "Whatever is not of faith is sin" means whatever is done against one's own conscience, not a general statement about unbelievers' actions. Some manuscripts place the doxology of 16:25-27 at the end of this chapter, which has led to discussions about the letter's original form.
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Sides with the strong in principle and asks them to yield.
The weak in faith
Those who keep food and day observances.
The strong in faith
Those who eat all things and count all days alike.
Jesus
Died and lived again to be Lord of the dead and the living.
Talk it through
- Paul tells the strong and the weak not to judge or despise each other. Why does each side find that hard?
- "Each man should be fully assured in his own mind." What would that mean for disagreements today?
- Paul agrees with the strong in principle and still asks them to give way. What does he value more than being right?
- "Whatever is not of faith is sin." How do you read that sentence in its setting?
Read Romans 14
World English Bible
1Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3Don’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. 4Who 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.
5One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. 6He 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. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 8For 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. 9For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10But 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. 11For it is written,
“ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’ ”
12So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
13Therefore 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. 14I 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. 15Yet 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. 16Then don’t let your good be slandered, 17for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 20Don’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. 21It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
22Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves. 23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
24Now 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, 25but 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; 26to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources