New American Standard Bible 2020
Romans 14:21
211It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother or sister stumbles.
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 then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the person who eats and causes offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother or sister stumbles. 22The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Read all of Romans 14Romans 14:21 word by word
καλὸν τὸ μὴ φαγεῖν κρέα μηδὲ πιεῖν οἶνον μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἀδελφός σου προσκόπτειRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Romans 14:21
- Romans 14:17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 15:1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not just please ourselves.
- 1 Corinthians 8:13Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.
- Romans 14:13Therefore let’s not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this: not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way.
- Malachi 2:8But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies.
- Matthew 16:23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.”
- Matthew 18:7“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes!
- Luke 17:1Now He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to one through whom they come!
- Philippians 1:10so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ;
- Hebrews 12:13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
- Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
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
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Romans 14:21 1 Cor 8:13 ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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