Romans 14:21

Romans 14:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
• New International Version (NIV)It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
• English Standard Version (ESV)It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
• New King James Version (NKJV)It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Context of Romans 14:21

19So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other. 20Don’t ruin God’s work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it’s wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts. 22So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. 23But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn’t act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.

Romans 14:21 word by word

καλὸν τὸ μὴ φαγεῖν κρέα μηδὲ πιεῖν οἶνον μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἀδελφός σου προσκόπτειRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• neitherμήmē · notG3361
• to eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• fleshκρέαςkreas · meatG2907
• norμηδέmēde · norG3366
• to drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• wineοἶνοςoinos · wineG3631
• wherebyἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• thyσύsu · youG4771
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• stumblethπροσκόπτωproskoptō · to strikeG4350
• orἤē · orG2228
• is offendedσκανδαλίζωskandalizō · to cause to stumbleG4624
• is made weakἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: weakG770

Cross-references for Romans 14:21

• Romans 14:17God’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.
• Romans 15:1So those of us who have a strong ⌞faith⌟ must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose ⌞faith⌟ is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves.
• 1 Corinthians 8:13Therefore, if eating food ⌞offered to false gods⌟ causes other believers to lose their faith, I will never eat that kind of food so that I won’t make other believers lose their faith.
• Romans 14:13So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
• Malachi 2:8“But you have turned from the ⌞correct⌟ path and caused many to stumble over my teachings. You have corrupted the promise made to Levi,” says the Lord of Armies.
• Matthew 16:23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get out of my way, Satan! You are tempting me to sin. You aren’t thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think.”
• Matthew 18:7How horrible it will be for the world because it causes people to lose their faith. Situations that cause people to lose their faith will arise. How horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
• Luke 17:1Jesus told his disciples, “Situations that cause people to lose their faith are certain to arise. But how horrible it will be for the person who causes someone to lose his faith!
• Philippians 1:10That way you will be able to determine what is best and be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.
• Hebrews 12:13Keep walking along straight paths so that your injured leg won’t get worse. Instead, let it heal.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you: You have among you those who follow what Balaam taught Balak. Balak trapped the people of Israel by ⌞encouraging⌟ them to eat food sacrificed to idols and to sin sexually.

Commentaries on Romans 14:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21It is good neither to eat flesh, etc. - The spirit and self-denying principles of the Gospel teach us, that we should not only avoid every thing in eating or drinking which may be an occasion of offense or apostasy to our brethren, but even to lay down our lives for them should it be necessary. Whereby thy brother stumbleth - , from , against, and , to strike, to hit the foot against a stone in walking, so as to halt, and be impeded in one's journey. It…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21It is good - It is right; or it is better. This verse is an explanation or enlarged specification of the meaning of the former. To eat flesh - That is, such flesh as the “Jewish” convert regarded as unclean; Romans 14:2. Nor to drink wine - Wine was a common drink among the Jews, and usually esteemed lawful. But the Nazarites were not allowed to drink it Numbers 6:3, and the Rechabites Romans 11:11. It means here that by eating, a Jewish convert might be…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-23Verses 19-23 Many wish for peace, and talk loudly for it, who do not follow the things that make for peace. Meekness, humility, self-denial, and love, make for peace. We cannot edify one another, while quarrelling and contending. Many, for meat and drink, destroy the work of God in themselves; nothing more destroys the soul than pampering and pleasing the flesh, and fulfilling the lusts of it; so others are hurt, by wilful offence given. Lawful things may…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21or drink wine: Some Jews chose not to drink wine to avoid appearing ritually unclean. Wine was often used in pagan religious ceremonies, which could make its use seem improper (see Daniel 1:3–16).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing--"nor to do any thing" whereby--"wherein" thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak--rather, "is weak." These three words, it has been remarked, are each intentionally weaker than the other:--"Which may cause a brother to stumble, or even be obstructed in his Christian course, nay--though neither of these may follow--wherein he continues weak; unable wholly to disregard the…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 14:21

• Charitableness
• Commandments
• Conscience
• Evil
• Expediency
• Fellowship
• Food
• Love
• Self-Denial
• Strife
• Temptation
• Wine

In the dictionaries

• Esteem
• Faith
• Receive
• Regard
• Revive
• Unclean
• Bible, the
• Drunkenness
• Flesh
• 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