God’s Word Translation
Romans 14:16
16Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
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
14The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is. 15So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person. Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil. 17God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. 18The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
Read all of Romans 14Romans 14:16 word by word
μὴ βλασφημείσθω οὖν ὑμῶν τὸ ἀγαθόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Romans 14:16
- Romans 12:17Don’t pay people back with evil for the evil they do to you. Focus your thoughts on those things that are considered noble.
- 1 Corinthians 10:29I’m not talking about your conscience but the other person’s conscience. Why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience?
- 2 Corinthians 8:20We don’t want anyone to find fault with the way we are administering this generous gift.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22Keep away from every kind of evil.
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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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