Romans 14:18

Romans 14:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
• New International Version (NIV)because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Context of Romans 14:18

16Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. 19So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.

Romans 14:18 word by word

ὁ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ δουλεύων τῷ Χριστῷ εὐάρεστος τῷ θεῷ καὶ δόκιμος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.¶Read the interlinear

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• whoeverὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• servesδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• this wayοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• pleasingεὐάρεστοςeuarestos · well-pleasingG2101
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• approvedδόκιμοςdokimos · testedG1384
• by menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Romans 14:18

• Romans 14:4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
• Romans 6:22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.
• Romans 12:11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
• Romans 16:18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
• Mark 13:34It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, My servant will be as well. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
• 1 Corinthians 7:22For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.
• Galatians 6:15For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.
• Colossians 3:24because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
• Romans 12:1Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
• Genesis 4:7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:
• Acts 10:35but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right.
• 2 Corinthians 8:21For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
• Philippians 4:18I have all I need and more, now that I have received your gifts from Epaphroditus. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
• 1 Timothy 2:3This is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,

Commentaries on Romans 14:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For he that in these things - The man, whether Jew or Gentile, who in these things - righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, serveth Christ - acts according to his doctrine, is acceptable to God; for he has not only the form of godliness in thus serving Christ, but he has the power, the very spirit and essence of it, in having righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and therefore the whole frame of his mind, as well as his acts, must…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18In these things - In righteousness, peace, and joy. Serveth Christ - Or obeys Christ, who has commanded them. He receives Christ as his “master” or “teacher” and does his will in regard to them. To do these things is to do honor to Christ, and to show the excellency of his religion. Is acceptable to God - Whether he be converted from the Jews or the Gentiles. And approved of men - That is, people will “approve” of such conduct; they will esteem it to be…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. 1818. For he that in these things--"in this," meaning this threefold life. serveth Christ--Here again observe how, though we do these three things as a "kingdom of God," yet it is "Christ" that we serve in so doing; the apostle passing here from God to Christ as naturally as before from Christ to God--in a way to us inconceivable, if Christ had been viewed as a mere creature (compare 2Co 8:21). is acceptable to God, and approved of men--these being the…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 14:18

• Charitableness
• Commandments
• Conscience
• Evil
• Expediency
• Fellowship
• Righteousness
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Christ, Messiah
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• 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