The Law of Liberty

1Welcomea anyone who is weak in faith,b but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2One person believes he may eat anything,a while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat,a and one who does not eat must not judge one who does,b because God has accepted him.c 4Who are you to judgea another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is ableA to make him stand.

5One person judges one day to be more important than another day.a Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.b 6Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.A Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;a and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself.a 8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.a 9Christ died and returned to lifea for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.b 10But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.a a 11For it is written,

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to me,a

and every tongue will give praise to God.b c

12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.a

The Law of Love

13Therefore, let us no longer judge one another.a Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.b 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.a Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.b 15For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love.a Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.b 16Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,a 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,a but righteousness, peace, and joyb in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever serves Christa in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.b

19So then, let us pursue what promotes peacea and what builds up one another.b 20Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.a 21It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.A 22Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.a 23But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,a because his eating is not from faith,A and everything that is not from faith is sin.