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Romans 14
New King James Version

### The Law of Liberty

14 Receive(A) one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he (B)may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and (C)let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 (D)Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

5 (E)One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who (F)observes the day, observes it to the Lord; [a]and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for (G)he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For (H)none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we (I)live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For (J)to this end Christ died [b]and rose and lived again, that He might be (K)Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For (L)we shall all stand before the judgment seat of [c]Christ. 11 For it is written:

(M)“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then (N)each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another [d]anymore, but rather resolve this, (O)not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

### The Law of Love

14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus (P)that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. (Q)Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 (R)Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 (S)for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and (T)peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in [e]these things (U)is acceptable to God and approved by men.

19 (V)Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which (W)one may [f]edify another. 20 (X)Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. (Y)All things indeed are pure, (Z)but it is evil for the man who eats with [g]offense. 21 It is good neither to eat (AA)meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles [h]or is offended or is made weak. 22 [i]Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. (AB)Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for (AC)whatever is not from faith is [j]sin.

#### Footnotes

1. Romans 14:6 NU omits the rest of this sentence.
2. Romans 14:9 NU omits and rose
3. Romans 14:10 NU God
4. Romans 14:13 any longer
5. Romans 14:18 NU this thing
6. Romans 14:19 build up
7. Romans 14:20 A feeling of giving offense
8. Romans 14:21 NU omits the rest of v. 21.
9. Romans 14:22 NU The faith which you have—have
10. Romans 14:23 M puts Rom. 16:25–27 here.

#### Cross references

1. Romans 14:1 : [Rom. 14:2; 15:1; 1 Cor. 8:9; 9:22]
2. Romans 14:2 : 1 Cor. 10:25; [Titus 1:15]
3. Romans 14:3 : [Rom. 14:10, 13; Col. 2:16]
4. Romans 14:4 : Rom. 9:20; James 4:11, 12
5. Romans 14:5 : Gal. 4:10
6. Romans 14:6 : Gal. 4:10
7. Romans 14:6 : Matt. 14:19; 15:36; [1 Cor. 10:31; 1 Tim. 4:3]
8. Romans 14:7 : [1 Cor. 6:19; Gal. 2:20]; 1 Thess. 5:10; [1 Pet. 4:2]
9. Romans 14:8 : 2 Cor. 5:14, 15
10. Romans 14:9 : 2 Cor. 5:15
11. Romans 14:9 : Acts 10:36
12. Romans 14:10 : Rom. 2:16; 2 Cor. 5:10
13. Romans 14:11 : Is. 45:23; [Phil. 2:10, 11]
14. Romans 14:12 : Matt. 12:36; 16:27; [Gal. 6:5]; 1 Pet. 4:5
15. Romans 14:13 : 1 Cor. 8:9
16. Romans 14:14 : 1 Cor. 10:25
17. Romans 14:15 : Rom. 14:20; 1 Cor. 8:11
18. Romans 14:16 : [Rom. 12:17]
19. Romans 14:17 : 1 Cor. 8:8
20. Romans 14:17 : [Rom. 8:6]
21. Romans 14:18 : 2 Cor. 8:21; Phil. 4:8; 1 Pet. 2:12
22. Romans 14:19 : Ps. 34:14; Rom. 12:18; 1 Cor. 7:15; 2 Tim. 2:22; Heb. 12:14
23. Romans 14:19 : 1 Cor. 14:12; 1 Thess. 5:11
24. Romans 14:20 : Rom. 14:15
25. Romans 14:20 : Acts 10:15
26. Romans 14:20 : 1 Cor. 8:9–12
27. Romans 14:21 : 1 Cor. 8:13
28. Romans 14:22 : [1 John 3:21]
29. Romans 14:23 : Titus 1:15

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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