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 then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 23But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from 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 14:17For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Romans 15:1But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.
• 1 Corinthians 8:13For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin.
• Romans 14:13Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
• Malachi 2:8You, however, have turned from the way. You have caused many to violate the law; you have corrupted the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.
• Matthew 16:23But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”
• Matthew 18:7Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.
• Luke 17:1Jesus said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
• Philippians 1:10so that you can decide what is best, and thus be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ,
• Hebrews 12:13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and 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

• 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