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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
• New Living Translation (NLT)If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

Context of Romans 14:18

16So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

Romans 14:18 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• he thatδουλεύωdouleuō · be a slaveG1398
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• these thingsοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• acceptableεὐάρεστοςeuarestos · well-pleasingG2101
• to Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• approvedδόκιμοςdokimos · testedG1384
• of menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444

Cross-references for Romans 14:18

• Romans 14:4Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, 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 of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
• Romans 12:11Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
• Romans 16:18For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
• Mark 13:34It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.
• John 12:26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
• 1 Corinthians 7:22For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.
• Galatians 6:15For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.
• Colossians 3:24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
• Romans 12:1I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
• Genesis 4:7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it."
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.
• Acts 10:35but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
• 2 Corinthians 8:21for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.
• Philippians 4:18I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.
• 1 Timothy 2:3This is good, and it is 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