1Directions to treat a weak brother kindly, and not to despise or censure one another in matters of indifference. 7Christ's right to our best services, whether we live or die. 10We must all be answerable for our respective conduct at his judgment seat. 13We must be careful not to use our Christian liberty to the hurt or offence of tender consciences.
1HIM athat is weak in the faith receive ye, but 1not to doubtful disputations.
1Or, not to judge his doubtful thoughts.
a Is. 42.3; 35.3,4. Eze. 34.4,6. Mat. 18.10. ch. 15.1,7. 1Co. 8.9,11; 9.22.
2For bone believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, ceateth herbs.
b 1Co. 10.25. 1Ti. 4.3. Tit. 1.15. c Da. 1.12. Le. 17.10-14.
3dLet 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.
d Ac. 10.34,44. Col. 2.16.
4eWho art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be *holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
*holden-held.
e 1Co. 4.4. Ja. 4.11,12.
5fOne man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. gLet every man be 2fully persuaded in his own mind.
2Or, assured.
f Ga. 4.10. Col. 2.16. g Phi. 3.15. v.23.
6He that 3regardeth the day, regardeth it hunto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for ihe giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
3Or, observeth.
h 1Co. 10.31. 1Pe. 4.11. i 1Co. 10.26,28. Mat. 14.19; 15.36; 26.26. 1Ti. 4.3,4.
7jFor none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
j 1Co. 6.19,20. Ga. 2.20. 2Co. 5.15. 1Th. 5.10. 1Pe. 4.2. Ep. 1.12. Phi. 1.21-23. Re. 14.13.
8For 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.
9kFor to this end Christ both ldied, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
k Ac. 10.36,42. Re. 1.18. 2Co. 5.15. Ac. 2.36. Mat. 28.18. Phi. 2.9-11. l ch. 8.34.
10mBut why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for nwe shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
m v.3,4. n 2Co. 5.10. Ec. 12.14. Mat. 25.31,32. Jn. 5.22. Re. 20.12. ch. 2.16.
11For it is written, oAs I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
o Is. 45.23. Phi. 2.10. Re. 5.13.
12So then pevery one of us shall give account of himself to God.
p Mat. 12.36. Lu. 16.2. He. 13.17. 1Pe. 4.5. 1Co. 3.8; 4.5. 2Co. 5.10. Ga. 6.4,5.
13qLet us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, rthat no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
q v.3,4. Mat. 7.1,2. Ja. 4.11; 3.1; 2.4. r 1Co. 8.9,13; 10.32. 2Co. 6.3. Mat. 18.7-9. Lu. 18.2.
14sI know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, tthat there is nothing 4unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be 5unclean, to him it is unclean.
4Gr. common.
5Gr. common.
s Ge. 1.31. Mat. 15.11. 1Ti. 4.4. Tit. 1.15. 1Co. 8.7-10. t Ac. 10.15.
15But if thy brother be grieved with thy *meat, now walkest thou unot 6charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, vfor whom Christ died.
*meat-food of any kind.
6Gr. according to charity.
u 1Co. 13.4; 8.11. v.20. v 1Ti. 2.6. He. 2.9. 2Pe. 2.1. 1Jn. 2.2.
16wLet not then your good be evil spoken of:
w ch. 12.16. 1Co. 10.29,30.
17xFor the kingdom of God is not *meat and drink; but yrighteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy *Ghost.
*meat-food of any kind.
*Ghost-Spirit.
x 1Co. 4.20. Lu. 17.21. 1Ti. 4.8. Ga. 5.6. 1Co. 8.8. ch. 2.28,29. He. 13.9. y Mat. 6.33. 2Co. 5.21. ch. 5.1; 15.13. Jn. 14.27; 16.33. 2Co. 1.12. Ro. 5.2-5; 8.16; 12.12,18; 15.13. Ga. 5.22,23. Phi. 3.9; 4.7.
18zFor he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
z Ac. 24.16. Phi. 1.10,11,27; 2.15,16. Col. 1.22. 1Pe. 2.5,12-15,20; 3.13,16.
19aLet us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
a ch. 12.18; 15.2. Ps. 34.14. Phi. 3.16. He. 12.14. 1Co. 14.12,26. 2Co. 12.19. Ep. 4.29. 1Th. 5.11,12. 1Pe. 3.11. 2Co. 13.11. 2Ti. 2.22.
20bFor *meat destroy not cthe work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
*meat-food of any kind.
b v.14,15. Mat. 15.11. 1Co. 3.9,16; 8.9-13. Tit. 1.15. v.23. c v.10,15. Ep. 2.10.
21dIt is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
d 1Co. 8.13. Mat. 18.6-10. Lu. 18.2.
22Hast thou efaith? have it to thyself before God. fHappy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
e v.2,5,14. f 1Jn. 3.21. Ac. 23.1; 24.16. 2Co. 1.12.
23And he that 7doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eat eth not of faith: for gwhatsoever is not of faith is sin.
7Or, discerneth and putteth a difference between meats, Tit. 1.15. v.5,14.
g He. 11.6.