Romans

¹Accept the one who is weak in faith, but not to enter into arguments over disputable matters. ²One has faith to eat all things while the weak eats only vegetables. ³The one who eats [everything] should not look down on the one who does not eat. The one who does not eat should not judge the one who eats because God has accepted him. ⁴Who are you who judge someone else’s servant? He stands or falls to his own master! Yes, that one will be made [able] to stand, because God has the power to make someone stand.

⁵One person considers that a [particular] day is more important [than the others]. Another thinks that every day is alike. Let each in his own mind be fully convinced.^{1703 6}The one who observes the day should observe it ‘to the Lord;’¹⁷⁰⁴ and the one who does not observe it should do so ‘to the Lord.’ The one who eats should eat ‘to the Lord’ because he gives thanks to God! Likewise, the one who does not eat should do so ‘to the Lord’ because he [also] gives thanks to God! ⁷Indeed, we do not live selfishly and we do not die for ourselves. ⁸In fact, if we live, we live ‘to the Lord;’ or if we die, we die ‘to the Lord.’ Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ⁹It is for this purpose that Christ died, rose, and lived, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰But [as for] you, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹¹As it is written:

‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow to me;

Every tongue will confess to God.’¹⁷⁰⁵

¹²And so, each of us will give a personal account to God. ¹³Therefore, let us not judge one another any more. Instead, resolve that no one should put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.

¹⁴In the Lord Jesus, I know and I am convinced that nothing is unclean of itself. But to the one who considers anything to be unclean, to such a one it is unclean! ¹⁵Yet, if because of food your brother is grieved, you no longer walk in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ¹⁶Thus, do not let what is good to you become a cause of evil things being said,^{1706 17}because the Kingdom of God is not [about] eating and drinking, but [it is about] righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Certainly, whoever serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by all. ¹⁹And so, let us pursue things which cause peace, and things by which we may edify one another. ²⁰Do not overthrow God’s work for the sake of food! All things indeed are clean; however it is evil for someone to create a stumbling block by eating. ²¹It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles, <or is offended, or is made weak.>¹⁷⁰⁷

²²Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself in what he approves. ²³But the one who doubts is condemned if by eating, it is not of faith. Whatever is not of faith is sin.

²⁴Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages ²⁵but is now revealed, and who by the Scriptures of the prophets (according to the commandment of the eternal God) is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; ²⁶to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen.¹⁷⁰⁸

Endurance and encouragement

1703. Or “assured”
1704. Greek tw/| kuri,w|
1705. Isaias 45:23. NT agrees with LXX against MT.
1706. Or “blaspheme/slander”
1707. CT omits “or is offended, or is made weak”
1708. TR places verses 24-26 after Romans 16:24 as verses 25-27.