New Living Translation | NET Bible |
1Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. | 1Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. |
2For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. | 2One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. |
3Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. | 3The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. |
4Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval. | 4Who are you to pass judgment on another's servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. |
5In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. | 5One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. |
6Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. | 6The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. |
7For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. | 7For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. |
8If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. | 8If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. |
9Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. | 9For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living. |
10So why do you condemn another believer ? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. | 10But you who eat vegetables only--why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything--why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. |
11For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the LORD, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. ’” | 11For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God." |
12Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. | 12Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God. |
13So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. | 13Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. |
14I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. | 14I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. |
15And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. | 15For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. |
16Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. | 16Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil. |
17For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. | 17For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. |
18If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. | 18For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. |
19So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. | 19So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. |
20Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. | 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. |
21It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. | 21It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. |
22You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. | 22The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. |
23But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. | 23But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin. |
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