Romans 14:20

Romans 14:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
• New International Version (NIV)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

Context of Romans 14:20

18For the one who serves Messiah in this manner is pleasing to God and approved by men. 19So then let us pursue what makes for shalom and for the building up of one another. Stop tearing down the work of God for the sake of food. Indeed all things are clean, but wrong for the man who by eating causes stumbling. 21It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22The faith you have, keep it to yourself before God. How fortunate is the one who does not condemn himself for what he approves.

Romans 14:20 word by word

μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ. πάντα μὲν καθαρὰ ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Forἕνεκαheneka heneken heineken · because ofG1752
• meatβρῶμαbrōma · foodG1033
• destroyκαταλύωkataluō · to destroy/lodgeG2647
• notμήmē · notG3361
• the workἔργονergon · workG2041
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• All thingsπᾶςpas · allG3956
• indeedμένmen · on the other handG3303
• pureκαθαρόςkatharos · cleanG2513
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• evilκακόςkakos · evil/harm: evilG2556
• for that manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• who eatethἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• withδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• offenceπρόσκομμαproskomma · stumbling blockG4348

Cross-references for Romans 14:20

• Romans 14:15For if your brother is grieved on account of food, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy by your food the one for whom Messiah died.
• Matthew 18:6“But whoever causes one of these little ones who trust in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea!
• 1 Corinthians 6:12“Everything is permitted for me”—but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted for me”—but I will not be controlled by anything.
• 1 Corinthians 8:8But food will not bring us before God. We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do eat.
• 1 Corinthians 10:31Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
• Ephesians 2:10For we are His workmanship—created in Messiah Yeshua for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand so we might walk in them.
• Philippians 1:6I am sure of this very thing—that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua.
• Romans 14:14I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Yeshua, that nothing is unholy in itself; but it is unholy for the one who considers it unholy.
• Matthew 15:11It’s not what goes into the mouth that makes the man unholy; but what comes out of the mouth, this makes the man unholy.”
• Acts 10:15Again a voice came to him, a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.”
• 1 Timothy 4:3They forbid people to marry; they command people to abstain from foods that God created for the faithful to share with thanksgiving, having come to know the truth.
• 1 Corinthians 8:9But watch out that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Give no offense either to Jewish or Greek people or to God’s community—

Commentaries on Romans 14:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20For meat destroy not the work of God - Do not hinder the progress of the Gospel either in your own souls or in those of others, by contending about lawful or unlawful meats. And do not destroy the soul of thy Christian brother, Romans 14:15, by offending him so as to induce him to apostatize. All things indeed are pure - This is a repetition of the sentiment delivered, Romans 14:14, in different words. Nothing that is proper for aliment is unlawful to be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20For meat - By your obstinate, pertinacious attachment to your own opinions about the distinctions of meat and drinks, do not pursue such a course as to lead a brother into sin, and ruin his soul. Here is a new argument presented why Christians should pursue a course of charity - that the opposite would tend to the ruin of the brother‘s soul. Destroy not - The word here is what properly is applied to pulling down an edifice; and the apostle continues the…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. 20The work of God involves both the spiritual life of other Christians and to the Christian community itself (14:15, 19). When the strong insist on doing whatever they want, they cause division. This behavior goes against God’s purpose to build a healthy and united community of believers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. For--"For the sake of" meat destroy not the work of God--(See on Ro 14:15). The apostle sees in whatever tends to violate a brother's conscience the incipient destruction of God's work (for every converted man is such)--on the same principle as "he that hateth his brother is a murderer" (1Jo 3:15). All things indeed are pure--"clean"; the ritual distinctions being at an end. but it is evil to that man--there is criminality in the man who eateth with…Read the comment

Topics related to Romans 14:20

• Charitableness
• Commandments
• Conscience
• Evil
• Expediency
• Fellowship
• Self-Denial

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Esteem
• Faith
• Receive
• Regard
• Revive
• Unclean
• Bible, the
• Defile; Defilement

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