1: Them
who are weak in the faith receive ye but not to doubtful disputations 2:
For one believes that they may eat all things another who is weak eats
vegetables 3: Let not those who eat despise them that eat not and let
not them who eat not judge them that eat for God has received him 4: Who
are you that judges another one's servant to their own master they stand or
fall Yes they shall be upheld for God is able to make them stand 5: One person
esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike Let everyone be
fully persuaded in their own minds 6: They that regard the day regard it
unto the Lord and they that regard not the day to the Lord they do not regard
it they who eat, eat to the Lord for they give God thanks and they who eat not
to the Lord they eat not and give God thanks[1] 7:
For none of us lives to themselves and no one dies to themselves 8: For
whether we live we live unto the Lord and whether we die we die unto the Lord
whether we live therefore or die we are the Lord’s 9: For to this end
Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead
and living 10: But why do you judge your brothers and sisters[2] or
why do you set at nought your brothers and sisters for we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ 11: For it is written As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall
bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God 12: So then every
one of us shall give account of themselves to God 13: Let us not
therefore judge one another anymore but judge this rather that no one put a
stumbling block or an occasion to fall in a brother or sister’s way 14:
I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of
itself but to them that esteem anything to be unclean to them it is unclean 15:
But if your brother [or sister] be grieved with your food now walkest thou not
charitably Destroy not them with your food for whom Christ died 16: Let
not then your good be evil spoken of 17: For the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 18:
For they that in these things serve Christ are acceptable to God and approved
of all 19: Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace
and things wherewith one may edify another 20: For food destroy not the
work of God All things indeed are pure but it is evil for that one who eats
with offence 21: It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor
any thing whereby your brothers [and sisters] stumble or are offended or are
made weak 22: Do you have faith have it to yourself before God Happy are
they that condemn not themselves in that thing which they allow 23: And they
who doubt are condemned if they eat because they eat not of faith for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin
[1] In illustrating the extraordinary
liberty experienced by believers in Christ, the apostle chose two subjects of
the Mosaic Law that were “big deals”—the Sabbath and the eating of meat (more
specifically pork and other unclean animals, [but this illustration encompasses
other issues as well])—He bluntly wrote that it did not matter what day was
chosen in which to worship or not to worship. What mattered was, that one did
violate the conscience in the matter. It was the same with eating food. It did
not matter what one ate or did not eat. What mattered was that the conscience
not be violated. In Christian love, however, he tempered this liberty by
encouraging Christians to be considerate of the consciences of others. And the
Holy Spirit, knowing the hearts of all, warned against haughty spirits who
would condemn those who did not share their own convictions. Each believer is a
servant of the Most High God, and stands or falls to their own master—Jesus Christ.
And the scriptures give assurance that Jesus is well able to make his own
stand.
[2] The Greek language, as are all
languages, is androcentric (male centered). Because of this, the entire human
race, congregation, group, or crowd is often referred to in the male vernacular.
In translating such passages, there is no reason to follow the ancient lead. Therefore,
in this commentary, any reference to a brother in Christ that, contextually,
clearly refers to the familial relationship of all believers, will express the
true meaning of brothers and sisters in Christ.
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