Do Not Judge Others
1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but do not argue with them about their personal opinions. 2 Some people's faith allows them to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables. 3 The person who will eat anything is not to despise the one who doesn't; while the one who eats only vegetables is not to pass judgment on the one who will eat anything; for God has accepted that person. 4 Who are you to judge the servants of someone else? It is their own Master who will decide whether they succeed or fail. And they will succeed, because the Lord is able to make them succeed.
5 Some people think that a certain day is more important than other days, while others think that all days are the same. We each should firmly make up our own minds. 6 Those who think highly of a certain day do so in honor of the Lord; those who will eat anything do so in honor of the Lord, because they give thanks to God for the food. Those who refuse to eat certain things do so in honor of the Lord, and they give thanks to God. 7 We do not live for ourselves only, and we do not die for ourselves only. 8 If we live, it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord that we die. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For Christ died and rose to life in order to be the Lord of the living and of the dead. 10 You then, who eat only vegetables—why do you pass judgment on others? And you who eat anything—why do you despise other believers? All of us will stand before God to be judged by him. 11 For the scripture says,
“As surely as I am the living God, says the Lord,
everyone will kneel before me,
and everyone will confess that I am God.”
12 Every one of us, then, will have to give an account to God.
Do Not Make Others Fall
13 So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin. 14 My union with the Lord Jesus makes me certain that no food is of itself ritually unclean; but if you believe that some food is unclean, then it becomes unclean for you. 15 If you hurt others because of something you eat, then you are no longer acting from love. Do not let the food that you eat ruin the person for whom Christ died! 16 Do not let what you regard as good get a bad name. 17 For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of the righteousness, peace, and joy which the Holy Spirit gives. 18 And when you serve Christ in this way, you please God and are approved by others.
19 So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another. 20 Do not, because of food, destroy what God has done. All foods may be eaten, but it is wrong to eat anything that will cause someone else to fall into sin. 21 The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that will make other believers fall. 22 Keep what you believe about this matter, then, between yourself and God. Happy are those who do not feel guilty when they do something they judge is right! 23 But if they have doubts about what they eat, God condemns them when they eat it, because their action is not based on faith. And anything that is not based on faith 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.