Rom 14 | ISV | STEP | How to Treat Believers Who Are Weak in Faith Accept the person who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of arguing over differences of opinion.

‏ Romans 14

1 How to Treat Believers Who Are Weak in FaithAccept the person who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of arguing over differences of opinion.Rom 15:1, 7; Rom 15:1, 7, 1Cor 8:9, 11; 9:22 2 One person believes that he can eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.Rom 14:14; 1Cor 10:25; 1Tim 4:4; Titus 1:15 3 The person who eats must not despise the person who does not eat, and the person who does not eat must not criticize the person who eats, for God has accepted him.Col 2:16 4 Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? His own Lord will determine whether ^{▼▼Lit. To his own Lord} he stands or falls. And stand he will, because God ^{▼▼Other mss. read the Lord} is able to make him stand.James 4:12

5 One person decides that one day is better than another, while another person decides that all days are the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.Gal 4:10; Col 2:16 6 The one who observes a special day, ^{▼▼Lit. the day} observes it to honor the Lord. The one who eats, eats to honor the Lord, since he gives thanks to God. And the one who does not eat, refrains from eating to honor the Lord; yet he, too, gives thanks to God.1Cor 10:31; Gal 4:10; 1Tim 4:3 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.1Cor 6:19-20; Gal 2:20; 1Thes 5:10; 1Pet 4:2 8 If we live, we live to honor the Lord; and if we die, we die to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he might become the Lord of both the dead and the living.Acts 10:36; 2Cor 5:15

10 Why, then, do you criticize your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For all of us will stand before the judgment seat of God. ^{▼▼Other mss. read of Christ}Matt 25:31-32; Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2Cor 5:10; Jude 1:14-15 11 For it is written,Isa 45:23; Phil 2:10

“As certainly as I live, declares the Lord,

every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will praise ^{▼▼Or confess} God.” ^{▼▼Isa 49:18; 45:23}

12 Consequently, each of us will give an account of himself to God.Matt 12:36; Gal 6:5; 1Pet 4:5

13 Therefore, let us no longer criticize ^{▼▼Or let us not criticize} each other. Instead, make up your mind not to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.1Cor 8:9, 13; 10:32 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in and of itself. But it is unclean to a person who thinks it is unclean.Acts 10:15; Rom 10:2, 20; Rom 10:2, 20, 1Cor 8:7, 10; 10:25; 1Tim 4:4; Titus 1:15 15 For if your brother is being hurt by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not destroy the person for whom Christ died by what you eat.1Cor 8:11 16 Do not allow your good to be spoken of as evil.Rom 12:17 17 For God's kingdom does not consist of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy produced by the Holy Spirit.1Cor 8:8 18 For the person who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.2Cor 8:21

19 Therefore, let us keep on pursuing those things that bring peace and that lead to building one another up.Ps 34:14; Rom 12:18; 15:2; 1Cor 14:12; 1Thes 5:11 20 Do not destroy God's work for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person fall because of what you eat.Matt 15:11; Acts 10:15; Rom 10:14; 14:15; 1Cor 8:9-12; Titus 1:15 21 The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that makes your brother stumble or become upset or weak. ^{▼▼Other mss. lack or become upset or weak}1Cor 8:13 22 As for the faith you do have, have it as your own conviction before God. How blessed is the person who has no reason to condemn himself because of what he approves!1John 3:21 23 But the person who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not act in faith; and anything that is not done in faith is sin.Titus 1:15