Romans 14:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

◄ Romans 14:20 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

English Standard Version
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

New American Standard Bible
Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.

King James Bible
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Do 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.

International Standard Version
Do not destroy God's action for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person stumble because of what you eat.

American Standard Version
Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Destroy not the work of God for meat. All things indeed are clean: but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

Darby Bible Translation
For the sake of meat do not destroy the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil to that man who eats while stumbling in doing so.

Young's Literal Translation
for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, are pure, but evil is to the man who is eating through stumbling.

Cross References

Acts 10:15
And the voice spoke to him again the second time, What God has cleansed, that call not you common.

Romans 14:2
For one believes that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eats herbs.

Romans 14:14
I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Romans 14:15
But if your brother be grieved with your meat, now walk you not charitably. Destroy not him with your meat, for whom Christ died.

1 Corinthians 8:9
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumbling block to them that are weak.

1 Corinthians 8:11
And through your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

1 Corinthians 8:12
But when you sin so against the brothers, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Titus 1:15
To the pure all things are pure: but to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

14:19-23 Many wish for peace, and talk loudly for it, who do not follow the things that make for peace. Meekness, humility, self-denial, and love, make for peace. We cannot edify one another, while quarrelling and contending. Many, for meat and drink, destroy the work of God in themselves; nothing more destroys the soul than pampering and pleasing the flesh, and fulfilling the lusts of it; so others are hurt, by wilful offence given. Lawful things may be done unlawfully, by giving offence to brethren. This takes in all indifferent things, whereby a brother is drawn into sin or trouble; or has his graces, his comforts, or his resolutions weakened. Hast thou faith? It is meant of knowledge and clearness as to our Christian liberty. Enjoy the comfort of it, but do not trouble others by a wrong use of it. Nor may we act against a doubting conscience. How excellent are the blessings of Christ's kingdom, which consists not in outward rites and ceremonies, but in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost! How preferable is the service of God to all other services! and in serving him we are not called to live and die to ourselves, but unto Christ, whose we are, and whom we ought to serve.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

20. For—"For the sake of"

meat destroy not the work of God—(See on [2260]Ro 14:15). The apostle sees in whatever tends to violate a brother's conscience the incipient destruction of God's work (for every converted man is such)—on the same principle as "he that hateth his brother is a murderer" (1Jo 3:15).

All things indeed are pure—"clean"; the ritual distinctions being at an end.

but it is evil to that man—there is criminality in the man

who eateth with offence—that is, so as to stumble a weak brother.