God’s Word Translation
Romans 14:4
4Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful.
Romans 14:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
- New International Version (NIV)Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Who 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
Context of Romans 14:4
2Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables. 3People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people. Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful. 5One person decides that one day is holier than another. Another person decides that all days are the same. Every person must make his own decision. 6When people observe a special day, they observe it to honor the Lord. When people eat all kinds of foods, they honor the Lord as they eat, since they give thanks to God. Vegetarians also honor the Lord when they eat, and they, too, give thanks to God.
Read all of Romans 14Romans 14:4 word by word
σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ κρίνων ἀλλότριον οἰκέτην; τῷ ἰδίῳ κυρίῳ στήκει ἢ πίπτει. σταθήσεται δέ, δυνατεῖ γὰρ ὁ κύριος στῆσαι αὐτόν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Whoτίςtis · which?G5101
- artεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- that judgestκρίνωkrinō · to judgeG2919
- another man’sἀλλότριοςallotrios · another’sG245
- servantοἰκέτηςoiketēs · slaveG3610
- to his ownἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- masterκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- he standethστήκωstēkō · to standG4739
- orἤē · orG2228
- fallethπίπτωpiptō petō · to collapseG4098
- Yeaδέde · thenG1161
- he shall be holden upἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- ableδυνατόςdunatos · ableG1415
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
Cross-references for Romans 14:4
- Acts 11:17When they believed, God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. So who was I to interfere with God?”
- 1 Corinthians 4:4I have a clear conscience, but that doesn’t mean I have God’s approval. It is the Lord who cross-examines me.
- James 4:11Brothers and sisters, stop slandering each other. Those who slander and judge other believers slander and judge God’s laws. If you judge God’s teachings, you are no longer following them. Instead, you are judging them.
- Romans 14:3People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people.
- Romans 11:23If Jewish people do not continue in their unbelief, they will be grafted onto the tree again, because God is able to do that.
- Romans 16:25God can strengthen you by the Good News and the message I tell about Jesus Christ. He can strengthen you by revealing the mystery that was kept in silence for a very long time
- Deuteronomy 33:27The eternal God is your shelter, and his everlasting arms support you. He will force your enemies out of your way and tell you to destroy them.
- Psalms 17:5my steps have remained firmly in your paths. My feet have not slipped.
- Psalms 37:17The arms of wicked people will be broken, but the Lord continues to support righteous people.
- Psalms 119:116Help me God, as you promised, so that I may live. Do not turn my hope into disappointment.
- John 10:28and I give them eternal life. They will never be lost, and no one will tear them away from me.
- Romans 8:31What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Hebrews 7:25That is why he is always able to save those who come to God through him. He can do this because he always lives and intercedes for them.
- 1 Peter 1:5since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
- Jude 1:24God can guard you so that you don’t fall and so that you can be full of joy as you stand in his glorious presence without fault.
- Isaiah 40:29He gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak.
Commentaries on Romans 14:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? - Who has ever given thee the right to condemn the servant of another man, in things pertaining to his own master? To his own master he standeth or falleth. He is to judge him, not thou; thy intermeddling in this business is both rash and uncharitable. Yea, he shall be holden up - He is sincere and upright, and God, who is able to make him stand, will uphold him; and so teach him that he shall not…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Who art thou - That is, who gave you this right to sit in judgment on others; compare Luke 12:14. There is reference here particularly to the “Jew,” who on account of his ancient privileges, and because he had the Law of God, would assume the prerogative of “judging” in the case, and insist on conformity to his own views; see James 4:12. This is a principle of common sense and common propriety. It is not ours to sit in judgment on the servant of another…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4belittle … judge: The “strong,” who took pride in their freedom in Christ, looked down on those they considered to be weak. The weak, in turn, believed they were following the true path of faith. Because of this, they judged the strong for being too careless in their behavior. Similar attitudes have appeared many times throughout the history of the Christian church. Christians have often argued over different practices and judged one another in the same…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Who art thou that judges another man's--rather, "another's" servant?--that is, Christ's, as the whole context shows, especially Ro 14:8, 9. Yea, &c.--"But he shall be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand"; that is, to make good his standing, not at the day of judgment, of which the apostle treats in Ro 14:10, but in the true fellowship of the Church here, in spite of thy censures.Read the comment
Topics related to Romans 14:4
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
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