Romans 14-16

New King James Version

The Law of Liberty

14 Receive^(A) one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. ² For one believes he ^(B)may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and ^(C)let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. ^4 (D)Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

^5 (E)One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who ^(F)observes the day, observes it to the Lord; ^[a]and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for ^(G)he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ⁷ For ^(H)none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. ⁸ For if we ^(I)live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For ^(J)to this end Christ died ^[b]and rose and lived again, that He might be ^(K)Lord of both the dead and the living. ¹⁰ But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For ^(L)we shall all stand before the judgment seat of ^[c]Christ. ¹¹ For it is written:

¹² So then ^(N)each of us shall give account of himself to God. ¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another ^[d]anymore, but rather resolve this, ^(O)not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

The Law of Love

¹⁴ I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus ^(P)that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. ^(Q)Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ^16 (R)Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ^17 (S)for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and ^(T)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who serves Christ in ^[e]these things ^(U)is acceptable to God and approved by men.

^19 (V)Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which ^(W)one may ^[f]edify another. ^20 (X)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. ^(Y)All things indeed are pure, ^(Z)but it is evil for the man who eats with ^[g]offense. ²¹ It is good neither to eat ^(AA)meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles ^[h]or is offended or is made weak. ^22 [i]Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. ^(AB)Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³ But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for ^(AC)whatever is not from faith is ^[j]sin.

Bearing Others’ Burdens

15 We ^(AD)then who are strong ought to bear with the ^[k]scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ^2 (AE)Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to ^[l]edification. ^3 (AF)For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ^(AG)“The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” ⁴ For ^(AH)whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the ^[m]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. ^5 (AI)Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ that you may ^(AJ)with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Glorify God Together

⁷ Therefore ^(AK)receive one another, just ^(AL)as Christ also received ^[n]us, to the glory of God. ⁸ Now I say that ^(AM)Jesus Christ has become a ^[o]servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, ^(AN)to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁹ and ^(AO)that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:

¹⁰ And again he says:

¹¹ And again:

¹² And again, Isaiah says:

¹³ Now may the God of hope fill you with all ^(AT)joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

From Jerusalem to Illyricum

¹⁴ Now ^(AU)I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, ^(AV)filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish ^[p]one another. ¹⁵ Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, ^(AW)because of the grace given to me by God, ¹⁶ that ^(AX)I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the ^(AY)offering ^[q]of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus ^(AZ)in the things which pertain to God. ¹⁸ For I will not dare to speak of any of those things ^(BA)which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, ^(BB)to make the Gentiles obedient— ^19 (BC)in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, ^(BD)lest I should build on another man’s foundation, ²¹ but as it is written:

Plan to Visit Rome

²² For this reason ^(BF)I also have been much hindered from coming to you. ²³ But now no longer having a place in these parts, and ^(BG)having a great desire these many years to come to you, ²⁴ whenever I journey to Spain, ^[r]I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, ^(BH)and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may ^(BI)enjoy your company for a while. ²⁵ But now ^(BJ)I am going to Jerusalem to ^[s]minister to the saints. ²⁶ For ^(BK)it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. ²⁷ It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For ^(BL)if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, ^(BM)their duty is also to minister to them in material things. ²⁸ Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them ^(BN)this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. ^29 (BO)But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing ^[t]of the gospel of Christ.

³⁰ Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and ^(BP)through the love of the Spirit, ^(BQ)that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, ^31 (BR)that I may be delivered from those in Judea who ^[u]do not believe, and that ^(BS)my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, ^32 (BT)that I may come to you with joy ^(BU)by the will of God, and may ^(BV)be refreshed together with you. ³³ Now ^(BW)the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Sister Phoebe Commended

16 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in ^(BX)Cenchrea, ^2 (BY)that you may receive her in the Lord ^(BZ)in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.

Greeting Roman Saints

³ Greet ^(CA)Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. ⁵ Likewise greet ^(CB)the church that is in their house.

Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is ^(CC)the firstfruits of ^[v]Achaia to Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who labored much for us. ⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the ^(CD)apostles, who also ^(CE)were in Christ before me.

⁸ Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. ¹⁰ Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. ¹¹ Greet Herodion, my ^[w]countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Rufus, ^(CF)chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. ¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

^16 (CG)Greet one another with a holy kiss. ^[x]The churches of Christ greet you.

Avoid Divisive Persons

¹⁷ Now I urge you, brethren, note those ^(CH)who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and ^(CI)avoid them. ¹⁸ For those who are such do not serve our Lord ^[y]Jesus Christ, but ^(CJ)their own belly, and ^(CK)by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. ¹⁹ For ^(CL)your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be ^(CM)wise in what is good, and ^[z]simple concerning evil. ²⁰ And ^(CN)the God of peace ^(CO)will crush Satan under your feet shortly.

^(CP)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

Greetings from Paul’s Friends

^21 (CQ)Timothy, my fellow worker, and ^(CR)Lucius, ^(CS)Jason, and ^(CT)Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.

²² I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.

^23 (CU)Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. ^(CV)Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. ^24 (CW)The^[aa] grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Benediction

^25 [ab]Now ^(CX)to Him who is able to establish you ^(CY)according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, ^(CZ)according to the revelation of the mystery ^(DA)kept secret since the world began ²⁶ but ^(DB)now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for ^(DC)obedience to the faith— ²⁷ to ^(DD)God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.