Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Don’t Let Your Good Choices Cause Spiritual Harm To Others; Walk In Love

¹³ Therefore let us no longer be judging one another. But rather judge^[a] this: not to be placing an opportunity-for-stumbling^[b] or a cause-of-falling^[c] for the brother (¹⁴ I know^[d] and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing^[e] is defiled^[f] in itself ^[g], except to the one considering anything to be defiled— to that^[h] one it is defiled). ¹⁵ For if your brother is grieved^[i] because of food, you are no longer walking according-to love. Do not be destroying with^[j] your food that one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not be letting your good thing be blasphemed^[k]. ¹⁷ For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness^[l] and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For the one serving^[m] Christ in this is pleasing to God and approved by people.

Let Us Be Pursuing Peace And Things That Build Up, Not Things That Tear Down

¹⁹ So then, let us be pursuing the things of ^[n] peace and the things of edification for one another. ²⁰ Do not be tearing-down the work of God for the sake of food. All things are clean— but it is evil for the person eating with an opportunity-for-stumbling. ²¹ It is good not to eat meats, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

Hold To Your Convictions, But Carry The Weak. Don’t Just Please Yourselves

²² The faith which you have, be having for^[o] yourself in the sight of God. Blessed is the one not judging himself in what he is approving. ²³ But the one doubting has been condemned if he eats, because it was not from faith— and everything which is not from faith is sin. 15 ¹ But^[p] we, the strong ones, ought to be carrying^[q] the weaknesses of the ones not-strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves.

Be Pleasing Your Neighbor. For Even Christ Didn’t Please Himself, As It Is Written

² Let each of us be pleasing his neighbor for good, toward [his] edification.