²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,^(A) but only what is helpful for building others up^(B) according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,^(C) with whom you were sealed^(D) for the day of redemption.^(E)

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep^(A)

¹⁰ “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels^(B) in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,^(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. ² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.^{(B) 3} 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. ⁴ 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.

⁵ One person considers one day more sacred than another;^(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. ⁶ Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;^(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives for ourselves alone,^(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.^(I)

²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.^(A)

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak^(A) and not to please ourselves.

⁷ Accept one another,^(A) then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

¹² When you sin against them^(A) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.^{(B) 13} Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.^(C)