Chapter 14

Like a moderator and peacemaker between the firm Christians (who were the Gentiles) and the infirm (who were the Christian Jews, having yet a scruple to cease from keeping the ceremonial meats and days of Moyses' Law) he exhorteth the Jew not to condemn the Gentile using his liberty: and the Gentile again, not to condemn the scrupulous Jew: but rather to abstain from using his liberty, than offending the Jew, to be an occasion unto him of apostating.

1. 1

   And him that is weak in faith, take unto you; not in disputations of cogitations.

2. 2

   For one believeth that he may eat all things: but he that is weak, let him eat herbs.

3. 3

   Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not: and he that eateth not, let him not judge him that eateth. For God hath taken him to him.

4. 4

   Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own Lord he standeth or falleth. And he shall stand: for God is able to make him stand.

5. 5

   For one judgeth between day and day; and another judgeth every day: let every one abound in his own sense.

6. 6

   He that respecteth the day, respecteth to our Lord. And he that eateth, eateth to our Lord: for he giveth thanks to God. And he that eateth not, to our Lord he eateth not, and giveth thanks to God.

7. 7

   For none of us liveth to himself: and no man dieth to himself.

8. 8

   For whether we live, we live to our Lord; or whether we die, we die to our Lord. Therefore whether we live, or whether we die, we are our Lord's.

9. 9

   For to this end Christ died and rose again; that he may have dominion both of the dead and of the living.

10. 10

    But thou, why judgest thou thy brother? or thou, why doest thou despise thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.

11. 11

    For it is written: Live I, saith our Lord, that every knee shall bow to me; & every tongue shall confess to God.

12. 12

    Therefore every one of us for himself shall render account to God.

13. 13

    Let us therefore no more judge one another. But this judge ye rather, that you put not a stumbling block or a scandal to your brother.

14. 14

    I know and am persuaded in our Lord Jesus Christ, that nothing is common of itself, but to him that supposeth any thing to be common, to him it is common.

15. 15

    For if because of meat thy brother be grieved; now thou walkest not according to charity. Do not with thy meat destroy him for whom Christ died.

16. 16

    Let not then our good be blasphemed.

17. 17

    For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but justice, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18. 18

    For he that in this serveth Christ, pleaseth God, and is acceptable to men.

19. 19

    Therefore the things that are of peace let us pursue: and the things that are of edifying one toward another let us keep.

20. 20

    Destroy not the work of God for meat. All things indeed are clean: but it is ill for the man that eateth by giving offence.

21. 21

    It is good not to eat flesh, and not to drink wine, nor that wherein thy brother is offended, or scandalized, or weakened.

22. 22

    Hast thou faith? have it with thyself before God. Blessed is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth.

23. 23

    But he that discerneth, if he eat, is damned; because not of faith. For all that is not of faith, is sin.