The Law of Liberty

1Accepta anyone who is weak in faith,b, c but don’t argue about doubtful issues. 2One person believes he may eat anything,d but one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat,e and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,f because God has accepted him.g 4Who are you to criticizeh another’s household slave? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand. For the Lord is ablei to make him stand.

5One person considers one day to be above another day.j Someone else considers every day to be the same. Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind.k 6Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord.l Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God;m and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, yet he thanks God. 7For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.n 8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.o 9Christ died and came to lifep for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.q 10But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you, why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before the tribunal of God.r, s 11For it is written:

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to Me,t

and every tongue will give praise to God.u, v

12So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.w

The Law of Love

13Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another.x Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way.y 14(I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is •unclean in itself.z Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.aa) 15For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer •walking according to love.ab Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.ac 16Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,ad 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,ae but righteousness, peace, and joyaf in the Holy Spirit. 18Whoever serves Christag in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.ah

19So then, we must pursue what promotes peaceai and what builds up one another.aj 20Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is •clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.ak 21It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.al 22Do you have a conviction?am Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.an 23But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats,ao because his eating is not from a conviction,ap and everything that is not from a convictionaq is sin.