Romans 14:17

Romans 14:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
• New International Version (NIV)For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Context of Romans 14:17

15If your brother is being hurt or offended because of food [that you insist on eating], you are no longer walking in love [toward him]. Do not let what you eat destroy and spiritually harm one for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let what is a good thing for you [because of your freedom to choose] be spoken of as evil [by someone else]; for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For the one who serves Christ in this way [recognizing that food choice is secondary] is acceptable to God and is approved by men. 19So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth].

Romans 14:17 word by word

οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the kingdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• meatβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• drinkπόσιςposis · drinkG4213
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• righteousnessδικαιοσύνηdikaiosunē · righteousnessG1343
• peaceεἰρήνηeirēnē · peaceG1515
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• theπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40

Cross-references for Romans 14:17

• Daniel 2:44In the days of those [final ten] kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left for another people; but it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
• Matthew 3:2“Repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves repentance; seek God’s purpose for your life], for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
• Matthew 6:33But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
• Luke 14:15When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
• Luke 17:20Now having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed or with a visible display;
• John 3:3Jesus answered him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless a person is born again [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified], he cannot [ever] see and experience the kingdom of God.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:20For the kingdom of God is not based on talk but on power.
• 1 Corinthians 6:9Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor (perversely) effeminate, nor homosexuals,
• 1 Thessalonians 2:12to live lives [of honor, moral courage, and personal integrity] worthy of the God who [saves you and] calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
• 1 Corinthians 8:8Now food will not commend us to God nor bring us close to Him; we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better if we do eat.
• Colossians 2:16Therefore let no one judge you in regard to food and drink or in regard to [the observance of] a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day.
• Hebrews 13:9Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them.
• Isaiah 45:24It shall be said of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’ To Him people will come, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold (listen closely), the days are coming,” says the Lord, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as King and act wisely And will do [those things that accomplish] justice and righteousness in the land.
• Daniel 9:24“Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God), to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
• 1 Corinthians 1:30But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God [revealing His plan of salvation], and righteousness [making us acceptable to God], and sanctification [making us holy and setting us apart for God], and redemption [providing our ransom from the penalty for sin],

Commentaries on Romans 14:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For the kingdom of God - That holy religion which God has sent from heaven, and which be intends to make the instrument of establishing a counterpart of the kingdom of glory among men: see on Matthew 3:2; (note). Is not meat and drink - It consists not in these outward and indifferent things. It neither particularly enjoins nor particularly forbids such. But righteousness - Pardon of sin, and holiness of heart and life. And peace - In the soul, from a…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17For the kingdom of God - For an explanation of this phrase, see the note at Matthew 3:2. Here it means that the uniquenesses of the kingdom of God, or of the Church of Christ on earth, do not consist in observing the distinctions between meats and drinks, it was true that by these things the Jews had been particularly characterized, but the Christian church was to be distinguished in a different manner. Is not - Does not consist in, or is not…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 Christ deals gently with those who have true grace, though they are weak in it. Consider the design of Christ's death: also that drawing a soul to sin, threatens the destruction of that soul. Did Christ deny himself for our brethren, so as to die for them, and shall not we deny ourselves for them, so as to keep from any indulgence? We cannot hinder ungoverned tongues from speaking evil; but we must not give them any occasion. We must deny…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-23Paul addresses a specific issue causing conflict in the church at Rome. The church encountered a dispute between those weak in faith and those strong in faith about certain practices (see 15:1). Throughout this section, Paul urges Christians to show patience and tolerance toward one another and their practices. He is convinced that people on both sides are genuine believers. He also believes that the issues they are arguing about are not essential to the…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-1716-17. Let not then your good--that is, this liberty of yours as to Jewish meats and days, well founded though it be. be evil spoken of--for the evil it does to others.Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 14:17

• Charitableness
• Commandments
• Conscience
• Evil
• Expediency
• Holiness
• Holy Spirit
• Joy
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Peace
• Righteousness
• Self-Denial
• Spirituality

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Holy Ghost
• Kingdom of God
• Esteem
• Faith
• Receive
• Regard
• Revive
• Unclean

Commentaries on Romans 14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings