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Romans 14

KJV · Chapter 14/16

1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

4Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.

14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Paul urges patience among Christians with differing convictions about food and holy days, asking that no one judge a brother or sister on these secondary matters. He teaches that each person should act in faith and not cause another to stumble for the sake of their own freedom.

Explanation

The context here likely involves real debates within the church in Rome between Jewish Christians (who perhaps still kept dietary restrictions and observed holy days) and Gentile Christians (who had no such traditions). Paul doesn't resolve the issue by taking sides, but teaches a greater principle: in matters that are not central to the gospel, love and unity matter more than being 'right.' The phrase 'the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit' helps distinguish between what is essential to the faith and what is personal preference — a wisdom still valuable for conflicts within churches today.

Fun facts

  • The disputes about 'days' likely involved the observance of the Jewish Sabbath and other festival days, a real and sensitive issue between Christians of Jewish and Gentile background in the early church in Rome.
  • The chapter's closing line, 'whatever is not from faith is sin,' has become a widely cited ethical principle for evaluating personal decisions in gray areas not clearly addressed by Scripture.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. Romans 14:1“Weak in the faith” is not a physical illness, it is an expression for someone who still has scruples about certain practices, in this case, someone who feels they must follow certain restrictions to be at peace with God. Paul asks that this person be welcomed, not debated.
  2. Romans 14:2The likely background is meat sold in the market, which often came from animals sacrificed to pagan idols or did not follow Jewish dietary rules, which is why some people preferred to eat only vegetables to avoid the risk. Paul does not settle who is right, he only asks that neither side judge the other.
  3. Romans 14:3He introduces the chapter's practical conflict, between those who eat everything and those who restrict themselves out of conviction: neither side should look at the other with contempt or judgment, because God has accepted both.
  4. Romans 14:4He uses an image of household servitude: judging another person's servant is not the role of an outsider, it is the master who decides, and Paul trusts that God has power to make that person stand.
  5. Romans 14:5The discussion likely involves observing sacred Jewish days, such as the Sabbath or specific feasts on the calendar. Again Paul does not settle the question; his point is that each person should act on their own conviction, without forcing the practice on the other.
  6. Romans 14:6He acknowledges that both positions, eating or not eating, observing certain days or not, can be practiced sincerely before God, each side giving thanks in its own way.
  7. Romans 14:7He broadens the argument beyond food: no one lives or dies in isolation, every personal decision is connected to something greater than one's own individual will.
  8. Romans 14:8He applies this idea specifically to the relationship with God: whether in life or in death, the Christian belongs to the Lord, not to himself.
  9. Romans 14:9He explains why Christ has authority over life and death: His own death and resurrection established Him as Lord of both the dead and the living.
  10. Romans 14:10The “judgment seat” (bema, in Greek) was the raised platform where a Roman judge sat to hand down public sentences, the kind of structure used in the rulings of local authorities. Paul uses this familiar, physical image to speak of a final accounting.
  11. Romans 14:11He cites Isaiah to reinforce this universal authority of God: a day will come when everyone, without exception, will publicly acknowledge it.
  12. Romans 14:12A practical conclusion from the previous quotation: each person will give account of their own life directly to God, not of someone else's life.
  13. Romans 14:13If each person will answer for himself (previous verse), then time spent judging another would be better used making sure not to put obstacles in the path of a brother in the faith.
  14. Romans 14:14Paul states his own position on the matter: no food is unclean by nature, but it becomes unclean in practice for whoever holds that personal conviction.
  15. Romans 14:15Even while arguing that food itself is not the problem, Paul urges caution: hurting a brother over food goes against love, and it is worth remembering that Christ also died for the person who takes offense.
  16. Romans 14:16He asks for care so that a person's freedom, something good in itself, does not end up being used as a reason to criticize Christians because of how it is exercised.
  17. Romans 14:17He redirects the focus of the discussion: what really matters in the kingdom of God is not a matter of diet, but living with righteousness, peace, and joy that come from the Holy Ghost.
  18. Romans 14:18Whoever lives this way, prioritizing these things instead of arguing about food, is acceptable to God and gains the respect of those around him.
  19. Romans 14:19He concludes the reasoning with a practical priority: pursuing what brings peace and builds up the community, instead of insisting on one's own view about food.
  20. Romans 14:20He repeats the warning from verse 15 with another image: using freedom regarding food to tear down someone's faith is destroying something God built, even though the food itself is permitted.
  21. Romans 14:21This is not a general rule against meat or wine, it is a specific piece of advice about restraint. The idea is to give up something of one's own so as not to trouble the conscience of another person who still has doubts about it.
  22. Romans 14:22He advises discretion: personal conviction about this kind of matter can stay between the person and God, without needing to be imposed on others; happy is the one who acts without feeling guilty about what he decides.
  23. Romans 14:23He closes the chapter with a broader principle: acting against one's own conviction, even if the action itself is not wrong, is sin, because it does not spring from sincere faith in the decision made.

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