Romans 14:16

Romans 14:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
• New International Version (NIV)Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;

Context of Romans 14:16

14As for me, I am sure that we may eat any kind of food. God does not think that any food is unclean. The Lord Jesus has shown me that that is true. But someone else may believe that it is wrong to eat certain food. For that person, it would be wrong to eat that kind of food. 15You should not cause another believer to be sad because of what you eat. If you do make him sad, then you are not really loving him. Remember that Christ died on behalf of that person. So do not let your food make him turn away from God. You may think that something is good. But still you should not do it, if other people will say that it is bad. 17We belong to God's people and he is our King. The things that we eat and drink are not really important to him. This is important: We should do what is right. We should have peace in our minds. And we should be truly happy. God's Holy Spirit helps us to live like that. 18If anyone serves Christ in that way, they will make God happy. And other people will respect them.

Romans 14:16 word by word

μὴ βλασφημείσθω οὖν ὑμῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Letβλασφημέωblasphēmeō · to blasphemeG987
• notμήmē · notG3361
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• goodἀγαθόςagathos · goodG18

Cross-references for Romans 14:16

• Romans 12:17If someone has done bad things against you, do not do bad things back to them. Try to live in a good way so that people will respect you. They will see that you do good things.
• 1 Corinthians 10:29It may not cause your own thoughts to have trouble. But the other person may not be sure if it is right to eat that kind of food. Perhaps you will say, ‘Why should another person's thoughts decide what is right for me? I am free to do what I want.
• 2 Corinthians 8:20We want to be very careful about this large gift of money. That is why the other believer will come with us. We do not want anyone to say that we have done something wrong.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:22But keep away from any kind of bad thing.

Commentaries on Romans 14:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Let not then your good be evil spoken of - Do not make such a use of your Christian liberty as to subject the Gospel itself to reproach. Whatsoever you do, do it in such a manner, spirit, and time, as to make it productive of the greatest possible good. There are many who have such an unhappy method of doing their good acts, as not only to do little or no good by them, but a great deal of evil. It requires much prudence and watchfulness to find out the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Let not then your good … - That which you esteem to be right, and which may be right in itself. You are not bound by the ceremonial law. You are free from the yoke of bondage This freedom you esteem to be a good - a favor - a high privilege. And so it is; but you should not make such a use of it as to do injury to others. Be evil spoken of - Greek, Be blasphemed. Do not so use your Christian liberty as to give occasion for railing and unkind remarks from…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 14:16

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

In the dictionaries

• Esteem
• Faith
• Receive
• Regard
• Revive
• Unclean
• Bible, the
• Drunkenness
• Evil-Speaking
• Holiness

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