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. ²² The faith which you have, have ^[q]as your own conviction before God. Happy is the one who ^(AM)does not condemn himself in what he approves. ²³ But ^(AN)the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Self-denial in behalf of Others

15 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of ^(AO)those without strength, and not just please ourselves. ² Each of us is to ^(AP)please his neighbor ^[r]for his good, to his ^(AQ)edification. ³ For even ^(AR)Christ did not please Himself, but as it is written: “^(AS)The taunts of those who taunt You have fallen on Me.” ⁴ For ^(AT)whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵ Now may the ^(AU)God ^[s]who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you ^(AV)to be of the same mind with one another, according to Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that with one purpose and one ^[t]voice you may glorify ^(AW)the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Therefore, ^[u](AX)accept one another, just as Christ also accepted ^[v]us, for the glory of God. ⁸ For I say that Christ has become a servant to ^(AY)the circumcision in behalf of the truth of God, to confirm ^(AZ)the promises given to the fathers, ⁹ and for ^(BA)the Gentiles to ^(BB)glorify God for His mercy; as it is written:

¹⁰ Again he says,

¹¹ And again,

¹² Again Isaiah says,

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

¹⁴ And concerning you, my brothers and sisters, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of ^(BK)goodness, filled with ^(BL)all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. ¹⁵ But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of ^(BM)the grace that was given to me ^[x]from God, ¹⁶ to be ^(BN)a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the ^(BO)gospel of God, so that my ^(BP)offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁷ Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found ^(BQ)reason for boasting in ^(BR)things pertaining to God. ^18 (BS)For I will not presume to speak of anything ^[y]except what ^(BT)Christ has accomplished through me, ^[z]resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, ¹⁹ in the power of ^[aa](BU)signs and wonders, ^(BV)in the power of the Spirit; so that ^(BW)from Jerusalem and all around as ^(BX)far as Illyricum I have ^[ab]fully preached the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ And in this way I aspired to ^(BY)preach the gospel, not where Christ was already known by name, ^(BZ)so that I would not build on another person’s foundation; ²¹ but just as it is written: