Don't Criticize Others
1 Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. 2 Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. 3 But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. 4 What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
5 Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. 6 Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
7 Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. 8 Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. 9 This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. 10 Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. 11 In the Scriptures God says,
“I swear by my very life
that everyone will kneel down
and praise my name!”
12 And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.
Don't Cause Problems for Others
13 We must stop judging others. We must also make up our minds not to upset anyone's faith. 14 The Lord Jesus has made it clear to me that God considers all foods fit to eat. But if you think some foods are unfit to eat, then for you they are not fit.
15 If you are hurting others by the foods you eat, you are not guided by love. Don't let your appetite destroy someone Christ died for. 16 Don't let your right to eat bring shame to Christ. 17 God's kingdom isn't about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people. 19 We should try to live at peace and help each other have a strong faith.
20 Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat. 21 It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that causes problems for other followers of the Lord. 22 What you believe about these things should be kept between you and God. You are fortunate, if your actions don't make you have doubts. 23 But if you do have doubts about what you eat, you are going against your beliefs. And you know that is wrong, because anything you do against your beliefs is sin.
1 Him that is weake in the faith, receiue vnto you, but not for controuersies of disputations. 2 One beleeueth that he may eate of all things: and another, which is weake, eateth herbes. 3 Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and let not him which eateth not, condemne him that eateth: for God hath receiued him. 4 Who art thou that condemnest another mans seruant? hee standeth or falleth to his owne master: yea, he shalbe established: for God is able to make him stand. 5 This man esteemeth one day aboue another day, and another man counteth euery day alike: let euery man be fully perswaded in his minde. 6 He that obserueth the day, obserueth it to the Lord: and he that obserueth not the day, obserueth it not to the Lord. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord: for he giueth God thankes: and he that eateth not, eateth not to the Lord, and giueth God thankes. 7 For none of vs liueth to himselfe, neither doeth any die to himselfe. 8 For whether wee liue, we liue vnto the Lord: or whether we die, we die vnto the Lord: whether we liue therefore, or die, we are the Lords. 9 For Christ therefore died and rose againe, and reuiued, that he might be Lord both of the dead and the quicke. 10 But why doest thou condemne thy brother? or why doest thou despise thy brother? for we shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ. 11 For it is written, I liue, sayth the Lord, and euery knee shall bowe to me, and all tongues shall confesse vnto God. 12 So then euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe to God. 13 Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more: but vse your iudgement rather in this, that no man put an occasion to fall, or a stumbling blocke before his brother. 14 I know, and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe: but vnto him that iudgeth any thing to be vncleane, to him it is vncleane. 15 But if thy brother be grieued for the meate, nowe walkest thou not charitably: destroy not him with thy meate, for whome Christ dyed. 16 Cause not your commoditie to be euill spoken of. 17 For the kingdome of God, is not meate nor drinke, but righteousnes, and peace, and ioye in the holy Ghost. 18 For whosoeuer in these things serueth Christ, is acceptable vnto God, and is approoued of men. 19 Let vs then follow those things which concerne peace, and wherewith one may edifie another. 20 Destroy not the worke of God for meates sake: all things in deede are pure: but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eate flesh, nor to drinke wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or made weake. 22 Hast thou faith? haue it with thy selfe before God: blessed is hee that condemneth not himselfe in that thing which he aloweth. 23 For he that doubteth, is condemned if he eate, because he eateth not of faith: and whatsoeuer is not of faith, is sinne.