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

19Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things which one may edify another. 20For the sake of food destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing by which thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in what he approveth. 23And he that doubteth is condemned if he eateth, because he eateth not from faith: for 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

• goodκαλόςkalos · goodG2570
• neitherμήmē · notG3361
• eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• fleshκρέαςkreas · meatG2907
• norμηδέmēde · norG3366
• drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
• wineοἶνοςoinos · wineG3631
• byἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• thyσοῦsou · youG4675
• brotherἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• stumblethπροσκόπτωproskoptō · to strikeG4350
• orἤē · orG2228
• offendedσκανδαλίζωskandalizō · to cause to stumbleG4624
• weakἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: weakG770

Cross-references for Romans 14:21

• Romans 14:17For the kingdom of God is not food and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
• Romans 15:1We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
• 1 Corinthians 8:13Therefore, if food maketh my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to stumble.
• Romans 14:13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
• Malachi 2:8But ye have departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
• Matthew 16:23But he turned, and said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence to me: for thou savourest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men.
• Matthew 18:7Woe to the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
• Luke 17:1Then he said to the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe to him, by whom they come!
• Philippians 1:10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
• Hebrews 12:13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of 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