Romans 14:1-21

New American Standard Bible

Principles of Conscience

14 Now ^(A)accept the one who is ^(B)weak ^[a]in faith, but not ^[b]to have quarrels over opinions. ^2 (C)One person has faith that he may eat all things, but the one who is ^(D)weak eats only vegetables. ³ The one who eats is not to ^(E)regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to ^(F)judge the one who eats, for God has ^(G)accepted him. ^4 (H)Who are you to judge the ^[c]servant of another? To his own ^[d]master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

^5 (I)One person ^[e]values one day over another, another ^[f]values every day the same. Each person must be ^(J)fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and the one who eats, ^[g]does so with regard to the Lord, for he ^(K)gives thanks to God; and the one who does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat, and he gives thanks to God. ⁷ For not one of us ^(L)lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; ⁸ for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore ^(M)whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end ^(N)Christ died and lived again, that He might be ^(O)Lord both of the dead and of the living.

¹⁰ But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you ^(P)regard your brother or sister with contempt? For ^(Q)we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written:

¹² So then ^(T)each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³ Therefore let’s not ^(U)judge one another anymore, but rather ^[i]determine this: ^(V)not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way. ¹⁴ I know and am convinced ^[j]in the Lord Jesus that ^(W)nothing is ^[k]unclean in itself; but to the one who ^(X)thinks something is ^[l]unclean, to that person it is ^[m]unclean. ¹⁵ For if because of food your brother or sister is hurt, you are no longer ^(Y)walking in accordance with love. ^(Z)Do not destroy with your choice of food that person for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore ^(AA)do not let what is for you a good thing be ^[n]spoken of as evil; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God ^(AB)is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and ^(AC)peace and ^(AD)joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For the one who ^(AE)serves Christ in this way is ^(AF)acceptable to God and approved by other people. ¹⁹ So then we ^(AG)pursue the things ^[o]which make for peace and the ^(AH)building up of one another. ^20 (AI)Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. ^(AJ)All things indeed are clean, but ^(AK)they are evil for the person who eats ^[p]and causes offense. ^21 (AL)It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother or sister stumbles.