Romans 14:15-15:5

English Standard Version

¹⁵For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, ^(A)you are no longer walking in love. ^(B)By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶^(C)So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷^(D)For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but ^(E)of righteousness and ^(F)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Whoever thus serves Christ is ^(G)acceptable to God and approved by men. ¹⁹So then let us ^(H)pursue what makes for peace and for ^(I)mutual upbuilding.

²⁰^(J)Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. ^(K)Everything is indeed clean, but ^(L)it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. ²¹^(M)It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.^[a] ²²The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. ^(N)Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. ²³But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.^[b]

The Example of Christ

15 ^(O)We who are strong ^(P)have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. ²^(Q)Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³For ^(R)Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ^(S)“The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” ⁴For ^(T)whatever was written in former days was written for our ^(U)instruction, that through endurance and through ^(V)the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. ⁵May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you ^(W)to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,