14
Romans

Christian Liberty, Conscience, and Mutual Acceptance

Romans 14:1-15:13
1Now receive the one who is weak in faith, without disputes over opinions. 2One person believes he may eat all things, while the one who is weak eats vegetables. 3Let the one who eats not despise the one who does not eat, and let the one who does not eat not judge the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls; and he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5One person judges one day above another, while another judges every day; let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6The one who observes the day observes it to the Lord, and the one who eats eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one who does not eat does not eat to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; therefore whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10Why do you judge your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' 12So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13Therefore let us no longer judge one another, but rather decide this: not to place a stumbling block or a hindrance before a brother. 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, except to the one who considers anything unclean; to that person it is unclean. 15For if your brother is grieved because of food, you are no longer walking according to love; do not destroy by your food the one for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For the one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by people. 19So then let us pursue the things of peace and the things of building up one another. 20Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God; all things are clean, but it is evil for the person who eats with offense. 21It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God; blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Chapter 15
1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproach you fell on me.' 4For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think the same way with one another according to Christ Jesus. 6So that with one mind and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8For I say that Christ became a servant to the circumcision for the sake of God's truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers. 9And the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, 'Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.' 10And again it says, 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.' 11And again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.' 12And again Isaiah says, 'The root of Jesse will come, even he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him the Gentiles will hope.' 13May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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