Dual Panel1AS FOR the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his opinions {or} pass judgment on his scruples {or} perplex him with discussions.
2One [man's faith permits him to] believe he may eat anything, while a weaker one [limits his] eating to vegetables.
3Let not him who eats look down on {or} despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains criticize {and} pass judgment on him who eats; for God has accepted {and} welcomed him.
4Who are you to pass judgment on {and} censure another's household servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he shall stand {and} be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to support him {and} make him stand.
5One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike [sacred]. Let everyone be fully convinced (satisfied) in his own mind.
6He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
7None of us lives to himself [but to the Lord], and none of us dies to himself [but to the Lord, for]
8If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or we die, we belong to the Lord.
9For Christ died and lived again for this very purpose, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10Why do you criticize {and} pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon {or} despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise].
12And so each of us shall give an account of himself [give an answer in reference to judgment] to God.
13Then let us no more criticize {and} blame {and} pass judgment on one another, but rather decide {and} endeavor never to put a stumbling block {or} an obstacle or a hindrance in the way of a brother.
14I know and am convinced (persuaded) as one in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is [forbidden as] essentially unclean (defiled and unholy in itself). But [none the less] it is unclean (defiled and unholy) to anyone who thinks it is unclean.
15But if your brother is being pained {or} his feelings hurt {or} if he is being injured by what you eat, [then] you are no longer walking in love. [You have ceased to be living and conducting yourself by the standard of love toward him.] Do not let what you eat hurt {or} cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died!
16Do not therefore let what seems good to you be considered an evil thing [by someone else]. [In other words, do not give occasion for others to criticize that which is justifiable for you.]
17[After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18He who serves Christ in this way is acceptable {and} pleasing to God and is approved by men.
19So let us then definitely aim for {and} eagerly pursue what makes for harmony and for mutual upbuilding (edification and development) of one another.
20You must not, for the sake of food, undo {and} break down and destroy the work of God! Everything is indeed [ceremonially] clean {and} pure, but it is wrong for anyone to hurt the conscience of others {or} to make them fall by what he eats.
21The right thing is to eat no meat or drink no wine [at all], or [do anything else] if it makes your brother stumble {or} hurts his conscience {or} offends or weakens him.
22Your personal convictions [on such matters]--exercise [them] as in God's presence, keeping them to yourself [striving only to know the truth and obey His will]. Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves [who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do].
23But the man who has doubts (misgivings, an uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats [perhaps because of you], stands condemned [before God], because he is not true to his convictions {and} he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate {and} proceed from faith is sin [whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful].