Acting in Love

¹³ Therefore, let’s no longer criticize^[a] each other. Instead, make up your mind not to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. ¹⁴ I know—and have been persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing is unclean in and of itself, but it is unclean to a person who thinks it is unclean. ¹⁵ For if your brother is being hurt by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not destroy the person for whom the Messiah^[b] died by what you eat. ¹⁶ Do not allow what seems good to you to be spoken of as evil. ¹⁷ For God’s kingdom does not consist of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy produced by the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For the person who serves the Messiah^[c] in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. ¹⁹ Therefore, let’s keep on pursuing those things that bring peace and that lead to building up one another.

²⁰ Do not destroy God’s action for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person stumble because of what you eat. ²¹ The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that makes your brother stumble, upset, or weak.^[d]