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14
1 Accept those who are still struggling to trust in God, and don't get into arguments over personal opinions. 2 One person may believe they can eat anything, while another whose trust is weak only eats vegetables.* This is nothing to do with the issue of vegetarianism or diet, but with food offered to idols. (Similarly in 1 Cor. 8). 3 Those who eat anything must not look down on those who won't, and those who won't eat must not criticize those who do—for God has accepted them both. 4 What right do you have to judge someone else's servant? It's their own master who decides whether they are right or wrong. With the Lord's help they will be able to take their stand for right.
5 Some people consider some days more important than others, while others consider each day the same. Everyone should be completely convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who respect a special day do so for the Lord; and those who eat without worrying† Eating/not eating refers to whether it was right to eat food that had previously been offered to pagan idols. do so for the Lord since they give thanks to God; while those who avoid eating certain things do so for the Lord, and they also give thanks to God.
7 None of us live for ourselves, or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord—so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 This was the reason Christ died and came back to life—so that he could be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 So why do you criticize your fellow-believer? Why do you despise your fellow-believer? For all of us will stand before God's throne of judgment.
11 For the Scriptures say, “ ‘As surely as I am alive,’ the Lord says, ‘Every knee shall bow before me, and every tongue will declare that I am God.’ ”‡ Isaiah 45:23. 12 So every one of us will have to explain ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let's not judge each other anymore, but decide to do this instead—we won't put obstacles in the way of fellow-believers, or cause them to fall.
14 I'm certain—persuaded by the Lord Jesus—that nothing in itself is ceremonially unclean. But if someone considers it to be unclean, to them it is unclean. 15 If your fellow-believer is hurt by you over matters of food, then you're no longer behaving in a loving way. Don't destroy someone for whom Christ died by the food you choose to eat. 16 Don't let the good things you do be misrepresented— 17 for God's kingdom is not about eating and drinking, but about living right, having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Anyone who serves Christ in this way pleases God, and is appreciated by others. 19 So let's pursue the path of peace, and find ways to encourage each other. 20 Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean—but it would be wrong to eat and offend others. 21 It's better not to eat meat or drink wine or anything else that would cause your fellow-believer to stumble. 22 What you personally believe is between you and God. Happy are those who don't condemn themselves for doing what they think is right! 23 But if you have doubts whether it's right or wrong to eat something, then you shouldn't, because you're not convinced it's right. Whatever isn't based on conviction§ Or, “faith.” is sin.* Or, “Sin is doing something you don't believe is right.”

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*14:2 This is nothing to do with the issue of vegetarianism or diet, but with food offered to idols. (Similarly in 1 Cor. 8).

†14:6 Eating/not eating refers to whether it was right to eat food that had previously been offered to pagan idols.

‡14:11 Isaiah 45:23.

§14:23 Or, “faith.”

*14:23 Or, “Sin is doing something you don't believe is right.”

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher