Romans 14:2
New International Version
One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.

New Living Translation
For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.

English Standard Version
One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

Berean Standard Bible
For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.

Berean Literal Bible
Indeed, one believes to eat all things; but the one being weak eats vegetables.

King James Bible
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

New King James Version
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

New American Standard Bible
One person has faith that he may eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables.

NASB 1995
One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.

NASB 1977
One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.

Legacy Standard Bible
One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.

Amplified Bible
One man’s faith permits him to eat everything, while the weak believer eats only vegetables [to avoid eating ritually unclean meat or something previously considered unclean].

Christian Standard Bible
One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables.

American Standard Version
One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs.

Contemporary English Version
Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables.

English Revised Version
One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables.

Good News Translation
Some people's faith allows them to eat anything, but the person who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables.

International Standard Version
One person believes that he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

Majority Standard Bible
For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.

NET Bible
One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables.

New Heart English Bible
One person has faith to eat all things, but the one who is weak eats only vegetables.

Webster's Bible Translation
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Weymouth New Testament
One man's faith allows him to eat anything, while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables.

World English Bible
One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
one believes that he may eat all things—and he who is weak eats herbs;

Berean Literal Bible
Indeed, one believes to eat all things; but the one being weak eats vegetables.

Young's Literal Translation
one doth believe that he may eat all things -- and he who is weak doth eat herbs;

Smith's Literal Translation
One truly believes to eat all things: and he being weak eats vegetables.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For one believeth that he may eat all things: but he that is weak, let him eat herbs.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For one person believes that he may eat all things, but if another is weak, let him eat plants.

New American Bible
One person believes that one may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

New Revised Standard Version
Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
For one believes that he may eat all things: another who is weak, eats vegetables.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
There is one who believes that he may eat everything, and he who is weak eats vegetables.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
One believes that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eats herbs.

Godbey New Testament
One indeed believes he is to eat all things: another who is weak, vegetables.

Haweis New Testament
One man indeed thinketh he may eat all meats; another, who is weak, eateth vegetables.

Mace New Testament
for one makes no difficulty of eating all sorts of food: another is so scrupulous, he lives upon herbs.

Weymouth New Testament
One man's faith allows him to eat anything, while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables.

Worrell New Testament
One believes that he may eat all things; but he that is weak eats herbs.

Worsley New Testament
for one believeth that he may eat any food; another, who is weak, liveth upon herbs.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Law of Liberty
1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions. 2For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.…

Cross References
1 Corinthians 8:8-13
But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. / Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. / For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols? ...

1 Corinthians 10:25-31
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, / for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” / If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. ...

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

1 Timothy 4:3-5
They will prohibit marriage and require abstinence from certain foods that God has created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. / For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Acts 10:13-15
Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” / “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Genesis 1:29-30
Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food. / And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth—everything that has the breath of life in it—I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.

Leviticus 11:1-47
The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: / You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. ...

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...

Isaiah 66:17
“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to enter the groves—to follow one in the center of those who eat the flesh of swine and vermin and rats—will perish together,” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 4:14
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have not eaten anything found dead or mauled by wild beasts. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth.”

Daniel 1:8-16
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself. / Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official, / but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!” ...

Acts 15:28-29
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: / You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.


Treasury of Scripture

For one believes that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eats herbs.

that.

Romans 14:14
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

1 Corinthians 10:25
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

Galatians 2:12
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

another.

Romans 14:22,23
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth…

eateth.

Genesis 1:29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

Proverbs 15:17
Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Jump to Previous
Allows Believe Believes Believeth Eat Eateth Eats Faith Feeble Food Green Herbs Vegetables Weak Weaker
Jump to Next
Allows Believe Believes Believeth Eat Eateth Eats Faith Feeble Food Green Herbs Vegetables Weak Weaker
Romans 14
1. Men may not condemn one another for disputable matters;
13. but must take heed that they give no offense in them;
15. which the apostle proves unlawful by many reasons.














For one person has faith
The phrase "has faith" in this context refers to a strong conviction or trust in the freedom that comes from understanding the grace of God. The Greek word for faith, "pistis," implies a deep-seated belief that transcends mere intellectual assent. In the early church, this faith allowed some believers to exercise their liberty in Christ without being bound by dietary laws. Historically, this reflects the transition from Jewish dietary restrictions to the freedom found in the new covenant, emphasizing that faith in Christ supersedes the old ceremonial laws.

to eat all things
The phrase "to eat all things" signifies the liberty that some believers felt in consuming any type of food, including those previously considered unclean under Jewish law. This reflects the broader theological shift in the early church from the Mosaic Law to the new covenant of grace. The Greek word "pas" (all) underscores the inclusivity of this freedom. Archaeological findings from the early Christian communities show a diverse diet, indicating that many believers embraced this freedom. This phrase encourages believers to understand that their righteousness is not determined by dietary practices but by faith in Christ.

while another, who is weak
The term "who is weak" refers to those whose faith is not yet fully matured in understanding their freedom in Christ. The Greek word "asthenēs" implies a lack of strength or firmness in conviction. Historically, this often included Jewish Christians who struggled to let go of the dietary laws they had followed for generations. This phrase calls for compassion and understanding within the Christian community, recognizing that spiritual growth is a process and that those who are "weak" should be supported and not judged.

eats only vegetables
"Eats only vegetables" highlights the practice of abstaining from meat, likely due to concerns about ritual purity or the association of meat with pagan sacrifices. The Greek word "lachanon" (vegetables) indicates a simple diet, chosen out of a desire to maintain spiritual purity. This practice was common among some Jewish sects and early Christian groups who sought to avoid any potential defilement. This phrase serves as a reminder that personal convictions about diet should not become a source of division within the body of Christ, as the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

(2) Believeth that he may . . .--Rather, perhaps, hath confidence to eat all things. His faith is strong enough to prevent his conscience from becoming uneasy.

Verses 2, 3. - One believeth that he may eat all things (literally, believeth to - or, hath faith to - eat all things), but he that is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. "He that eateth" is the one that has faith to eat all things; and it is against contempt on his part of the weak in faith that the admonition is mainly directed throughout the chapter (cf. also Romans 15:1). But the weak require an admonition too. Their temptation was to judge those who indulged in freedom which to themselves appeared unlawful; and here, in ver. 5, the apostle gives such as did so a sharp reproof. There is a tone of indignation in his σὺ τίς εῖ ὁ κρίνων; reminding us of his tone towards the Judaists in Galatia, who would have crippled Christian liberty. "God hath received him" refers evidently, as appears from its position and from the following verse, to him that eateth. God hath received him to himself in Christ, whosoever may sit in judgment on him. We observe that the verb προσελάβετο is the same as in ver. 1 and in Romans 15:7.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
μὲν (men)
Conjunction
Strong's 3303: A primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession; usually followed by a contrasted clause with de.

one [man]
ὃς (hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

has faith
πιστεύει (pisteuei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4100: From pistis; to have faith, i.e. Credit; by implication, to entrust.

to eat
φαγεῖν (phagein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.

all things,
πάντα (panta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3956: All, the whole, every kind of. Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole.

while
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

another,
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

who is weak,
ἀσθενῶν (asthenōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 770: To be weak (physically: then morally), To be sick. From asthenes; to be feeble.

eats
ἐσθίει (esthiei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.

[only] vegetables.
λάχανα (lachana)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3001: An herb, garden plant, vegetable. From lachaino; a vegetable.


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