Romans 14:15
13 Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
14 I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
16 Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
- KJV
- But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
- WEB
- Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
- ASV
- For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died.
- DARBY
- For if on account of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer according to love. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ has died.
- BLB
- For if because of food your brother is grieved, no longer do you walk according to love. Do not destroy with your food that one for whom Christ died.
- ÅB
- For hvis din bror blir bedrøvet på grunn av det du spiser, vandrer du ikke lenger i kjærlighet. La ikke din mat føre til fortapelse for den som Kristus døde for!
- OTB
- Hvis din bror eller søster er bekymret på grunn av det du spiser, handler du ikke lenger i kjærlighet. Ikke ødelegg ved din spising noen som Kristus døde for.
- B1930
- For dersom det voldes din bror sorg ved din mat, da vandrer du ikke lenger i kjærlighet; før ikke ved din mat den i fortapelse som Kristus er død for!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
1 Corinthians 8:11–12
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
Read in contextGalatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
Read in contextPhilippians 2:2–4
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
Read in contextRomans 14:20
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.
Read in context1 Corinthians 8:1
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
Read in context1 Corinthians 13:4–5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
Read in contextEphesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
Read in contextRomans 15:2
Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Read in context