Romans 14:13-21
New English Translation
Exhortation for the Strong not to Destroy the Weak
13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.[a] 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister[b] is distressed because of what you eat,[c] you are no longer walking in love.[d] Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you consider good[e] be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.[f]
19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean,[g] it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.[h]
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- Romans 14:13 tn Grk “brother.”
- Romans 14:15 tn Grk “brother.”
- Romans 14:15 tn Grk “on account of food.”
- Romans 14:15 tn Grk “according to love.”
- Romans 14:16 tn Grk “do not let your good.”
- Romans 14:18 tn Grk “by men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is generic here (“people”) since the contrast in context is between God and humanity.
- Romans 14:20 sn Here clean refers to food being ceremonially clean.
- Romans 14:21 tc A large number of mss, some of them quite significant (P46vid א2 B D F G Ψ 0209 33 1881 M lat sa), read “or to be offended or to be made weak” after “to stumble.” The shorter reading “to stumble” is found only in Alexandrian mss (א* A C 048 81 945 1506 1739 bo). Although external evidence favors inclusion, internal evidence points to a scribal expansion, perhaps reminiscent of 1 Cor 8:11-13. The shorter reading is therefore preferred.
Romans 14:13-21
Lexham English Bible
13 Therefore, let us no longer pass judgment on one another, but rather decide this: not to place a cause for stumbling or a temptation before a brother. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself, except to the one who considers something to be unclean; to that person it is unclean. 15 For if because of food, your brother is grieved, you are no longer living according to love. Do not destroy by your food that person for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be slandered. 17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is well-pleasing to God and approved by people.
19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace[a] and what edifies one another[b]. 20 Do not destroy the work of God on account of food. All things are clean, but it is wrong for the person who eats and stumbles in the process[c]. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine or to do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is weakened.[d]
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- Romans 14:19 Literally “the things of peace”
- Romans 14:19 Literally “the things of edification toward one another”
- Romans 14:20 Literally “who eats with stumbling”
- Romans 14:21 Some manuscripts omit “or is offended or is weakened”
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