Romans 14

Principles of Conscience

1Now 1accept the one who is 2weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 23One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is 4weak eats vegetables only. 3The one who eats is not to 5regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to 6judge the one who eats, for God has 7accepted him. 48Who are you to judge the 9servant of another? To his own 10master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

511One person 12regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be 13fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, 14does so for the Lord, for he 15gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7For not one of us 16lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore 17whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end 18Christ died and lived again, that He might be 19Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you 20regard your brother with contempt? For 21we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For it is written, “22As I live, says the Lord, 23every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall 24give praise to God.” 12So then 25each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

13Therefore let us not 26judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--27not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14I know and am convinced 28in the Lord Jesus that 29nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who 30thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer 31walking according to love. 32Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16Therefore 33do not let what is for you a good thing be 34spoken of as evil; 17for the kingdom of God 35is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and 36peace and 37joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who in this way 38serves Christ is 39acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then 40we 41pursue the things which make for peace and the 42building up of one another. 2043Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. 44All things indeed are clean, but 45they are evil for the man who eats 46and gives offense. 2147It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22The faith which you have, have 48as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who 49does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23But 50he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.