The Law of Liberty

14 Receive(A) one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he (B)may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 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. (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.

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The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.(B) The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

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Do Not Judge Another

14 Welcome those who are weak in faith[a] but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions.(A) Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.(B) Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat, for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on slaves of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord[b] is able to make them stand.

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Footnotes

  1. 14.1 Or conviction
  2. 14.4 Other ancient authorities read for God

Do Not Criticize Other People

14 Accept into your group someone who is weak in faith, and do not argue about opinions. One person believes it is right to eat all kinds of food.[a] But another, who is weak, believes it is right to eat only vegetables. The one who knows that it is right to eat any kind of food must not reject the one who eats only vegetables. And the person who eats only vegetables must not think that the one who eats all foods is wrong, because God has accepted that person. You cannot judge another person’s servant. The master decides if the servant is doing well or not. And the Lord’s servant will do well because the Lord helps him do well.

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Footnotes

  1. 14:2 all . . . food The Jewish law said there were some foods Jews should not eat. When Jews became Christians, some of them did not understand they could now eat all foods.

14 Receive ye him that is weak in the faith, but not to judge his doubtful disputations.

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

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not, judge him that eateth; for God hath received him.

Who art thou who judgest another man’s servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be held up, for God is able to make him stand.

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