Romans 14:20

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.

King James Version (1611)
For meat, destroy not the worke of God: all things indeed are pure; but it is euill for that man who eateth with offence.

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

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 person who eats and causes offense.

New Century Version
Do not let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All foods are all right to eat, but it is wrong to eat food that causes someone else to sin.

Amplified Bible
Do not, for the sake of food, tear down the work of God. All things indeed are [ceremonially] clean, but they are wrong for the person who eats and offends [another's conscience in the process].

New American Standard Bible (1995)
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.

Legacy 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.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

Contemporary English Version
Don't let your appetite destroy what God has done. All foods are fit to eat, but it is wrong to cause problems for others by what you eat.

Complete Jewish Bible
Don't tear down God's work for the sake of food. True enough, all things are clean; but it is wrong for anybody by his eating to cause someone to fall away.

Darby 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].

Easy-to-Read Version
Don't let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All food is right to eat, but it is wrong for anyone to eat something that hurts the faith of another person.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Destroy not the worke of God for meates sake: all things in deede are pure: but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence.

George Lamsa Translation
And let us not, because of food, destroy the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is wrong for the man who eats with offence.

Good News Translation
Do not, because of food, destroy what God has done. All foods may be eaten, but it is wrong to eat anything that will cause someone else to fall into sin.

Lexham English Bible
Do not destroy the work of God on account of food. All things are clean, but it is wrong for the person who eats and stumbles in the process.

Literal Translation
Do not by your food undo the work of God. Truly, all things are clean, but it is bad to the man who eats through a stumbling-block.

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.

Bible in Basic English
Do not let the work of God come to nothing on account of food. All things are certainly clean; but it is evil for that man who by taking food makes it hard for another.

Hebrew Names Version
Don't overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

International Standard Version
Do not destroy God's work for the sake of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make another person fall because of what you eat.Matthew 15:11; Acts 10:15; Romans 10:14; 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:9-12; Titus 1:15;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
and not for the sake of meats undo the work of Aloha. For each thing is pure, yet evil is it to the man who eateth with offence.

Murdock Translation
And let us not, on account of food, destroy the work of God. For every thing is, [fn] pure; yet it is evil, to the man who eateth with stumbling.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Destroy not the worke of God for meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it is euyll for that man, which eateth with offence.

English Revised 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.

World English Bible
Don't overthrow God's work for food's sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure: but it is evil to that man who eateth with offence.

Weymouth's New Testament
Do not for food's sake be throwing down God's work. All food is pure; but a man is in the wrong if his food is a snare to others.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Nyle thou for mete distrie the werk of God. For alle thingis ben clene, but it is yuel to the man that etith bi offendyng.

Update Bible Version
Don't overthrow the work of God for meat's sake. All things indeed are clean; nevertheless it is evil for that man who eats with offense.

Webster's Bible Translation
For the sake of food, destroy not the work of God. All things indeed [are] pure; but [it is] evil for that man who eateth with offense.

New English Translation
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.

New King James Version
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

New Living Translation
Don't tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.

New Life Bible
Do not destroy what God has done just because of some food. All food is good to eat. But it is wrong to eat anything that will make someone fall into sin.

New Revised Standard
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Do not, for the sake of food, be throwing down the work of God! All things, indeed, are pure; but, ill, is it for the man who with occasion of stumbling doth eat, -

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.

Revised Standard Version
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Destroye not ye worke of god for a lytell meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it is evyll for that man which eateth with hurte of his conscience.

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.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Destroye not ye worke of God for eny meates sake. All thinges truly are cleane, but it is euell for yt ma, which eateth wt hurte of his coscience

Mace New Testament (1729)
do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence.

Simplified Cowboy Version
Don't tear the crew apart over beans or bacon. They are both fine as long as it doesn't cause another man to fall from the saddle.

Contextual Overview

¹ Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. ²For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume he should only be a vegetarian and eat accordingly. But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table. Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help. ⁵ Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience. ⁶What's important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God's sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli. None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters. It's God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other. That's why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other. ¹⁰So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit. Read it for yourself in Scripture: "As I live and breathe," God says, "every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God." So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. ¹³Forget about deciding what's right for each other. Here's what you need to be concerned about: that you don't get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I'm convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it. ¹⁵If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don't eat, you're no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet? Don't you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning! ¹⁷God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy. Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you. ¹⁹So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you? I said it before and I'll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling. When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don't eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love. ²²Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

For: Romans 14:15, Matthew 18:6, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 1 Corinthians 6:13, 1 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Corinthians 8:13, 1 Corinthians 10:31

the work: Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 1:6

All: Romans 14:14, Matthew 15:11, Acts 10:15, 1 Timothy 4:3-5, Titus 1:15

but: Romans 14:15, Romans 14:21, 1 Corinthians 8:9-12, 1 Corinthians 10:32, 1 Corinthians 10:33

Reciprocal: Genesis 9:3 - even Leviticus 7:19 - General Numbers 32:15 - ye shall Ezekiel 44:31 - General Matthew 5:30 - offend Luke 17:1 - It is Acts 15:29 - ye abstain 1 Corinthians 8:11 - shall 1 Corinthians 10:23 - things are lawful Philippians 1:10 - without Colossians 2:16 - in meat 1 Timothy 4:4 - and

Cross-References

Genesis 14:3
This second group of kings, the attacked, came together at the Valley of Siddim, that is, the Salt Sea. They had been under the thumb of Kedorlaomer for twelve years. In the thirteenth year, they revolted.

Genesis 14:5
In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him set out and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim, and the Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as El Paran on the far edge of the desert. On their way back they stopped at En Mishpat, that is, Kadesh, and conquered the whole region of the Amalekites as well as that of the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar.

Genesis 14:17
After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and his allied kings, the king of Sodom came out to greet him in the Valley of Shaveh, the King's Valley. Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine—he was priest of The High God—and blessed him: Blessed be Abram by The High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. And blessed be The High God, who handed your enemies over to you. Abram gave him a tenth of all the recovered plunder.

Numbers 28:26
"On the Day of Firstfruits when you bring an offering of new grain to God on your Feast-of-Weeks, gather in holy worship and don't do any regular work. Bring a Whole-Burnt-Offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male yearling lambs as a pleasing fragrance to God . Prepare a Grain-Offering of six quarts of fine flour mixed with oil for each bull, four quarts for the ram, and two quarts for each lamb, plus a he-goat as an Absolution-Offering to atone for you.

Deuteronomy 14:28
At the end of every third year, gather the tithe from all your produce of that year and put it aside in storage. Keep it in reserve for the Levite who won't get any property or inheritance as you will, and for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow who live in your neighborhood. That way they'll have plenty to eat and God , your God, will bless you in all your work.

Nehemiah 10:37
We will bring the best of our grain, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of wine, and of oil to the priests in the storerooms of The Temple of our God. We will bring the tithes from our fields to the Levites, since the Levites are appointed to collect the tithes in the towns where we work. We'll see to it that a priest descended from Aaron will supervise the Levites as they collect the tithes and make sure that they take a tenth of the tithes to the treasury in The Temple of our God. We'll see to it that the People of Israel and Levites bring the grain, wine, and oil to the storage rooms where the vessels of the Sanctuary are kept and where the priests who serve, the security guards, and the choir meet. We will not neglect The Temple of our God.

Psalms 68:19
Blessed be the Lord— day after day he carries us along. He's our Savior, our God, oh yes! He's God-for-us, he's God-who-saves-us. Lord God knows all death's ins and outs. What's more, he made heads roll, split the skulls of the enemy As he marched out of heaven, saying, "I tied up the Dragon in knots, put a muzzle on the Deep Blue Sea." You can wade through your enemies' blood, and your dogs taste of your enemies from your boots.

Psalms 144:1
A David Psalm Blessed be God , my mountain, who trains me to fight fair and well. He's the bedrock on which I stand, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight, The high crag where I run for dear life, while he lays my enemies low.

Amos 4:4
"Come along to Bethel and sin! And then to Gilgal and sin some more! Bring your sacrifices for morning worship. Every third day bring your tithe. Burn pure sacrifices—thank offerings. Speak up—announce freewill offerings! That's the sort of religious show you Israelites just love." God 's Decree.

Malachi 3:8
"Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. "You ask, ‘How have we robbed you?' "The tithe and the offering—that's how! And now you're under a curse—the whole lot of you—because you're robbing me. Bring your full tithe to the Temple treasury so there will be ample provisions in my Temple. Test me in this and see if I don't open up heaven itself to you and pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams. For my part, I will defend you against marauders, protect your wheat fields and vegetable gardens against plunderers." The Message of God -of-the-Angel-Armies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For meat destroy not the work of God,.... The Syriac reads it, "the works of God"; referring either to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, of which the kingdom of God consists; or to the weak brother, who both as a creature, and as a new creature, is the workmanship of God; and to the good work of grace, the work of faith upon his soul, which is the work of God; or rather to his peace, and the peace of the church of Christ, which is both the will and work of God; peace is what he calls his people to, and what he himself is the author of; and may be destroyed, and sometimes is, by trifling things; whereas a true believer, though ever so weak, cannot be destroyed, nor the good work of God upon his soul be lost, nor any part of it; not the work of faith, which Christ prays for that it fail not, and is both the author and finisher of; but the work of peace and edification in particular persons, and in a church, may be destroyed, but it is pity it should, by so small a matter, so trivial a thing as meat, or the use of anything that is indifferent:

all things indeed are pure. The Ethiopic version adds, "to the pure"; to them that have pure consciences, sprinkled by the blood of Christ, and have no doubt or scruple about eating things indifferent; but this addition seems to be taken out of Titus 1:15; though it may serve to explain the sense, which is, that all sorts of food, without any distinction, may be eaten; there is nothing common or unclean, every creature in itself is good, and every Christian may lawfully eat thereof, with moderation and thankfulness. This is a concession which stands thus corrected and restrained,

but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. The Arabic version adds, "of his neighbour"; which is a good interpretation of the passage; for the apostle means not with offence to a man's own conscience, though so to eat is an evil too, but with offence to a fellow Christian; it is not an evil in itself to eat, but when this circumstance of offending another thereby attends it; it is evil, though not in itself, yet in its consequences; it offends a weak brother, displeases Christ, who would not have one of his little ones offended, and brings a woe upon the person by whom the offence comes. The Ethiopic version reads, "who eats inordinately"; which to be sure is sinful, but is not the meaning here.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For meat - By your obstinate, pertinacious attachment to your own opinions about the distinctions of meat and drinks, do not pursue such a course as to lead a brother into sin, and ruin his soul. Here is a new argument presented why Christians should pursue a course of charity - that the opposite would tend to the ruin of the brother’s soul.

Destroy not - The word here is what properly is applied to pulling down an edifice; and the apostle continues the figure which he used in the previous verse. Do not pull down or destroy the “temple” which God is rearing.

The work of God - The work of God is what God does, and here especially refers to his work in rearing “his church.” The “Christian” is regarded specially as the work of God, as God renews his heart and makes him what he is. Hence, he is called God’s “building” 1 Corinthians 3:9, and his “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” Ephesians 2:10, and is denominated “a new creature;” 2 Corinthians 5:17. The meaning is, “Do not so conduct yourself, in regard to the distinction of meats into clean and unclean, as to cause your brother to sin, and to impair or ruin the work of religion which God is carrying on in his soul.” The expression does not refer to “man” as being the work of God, but to the “piety” of the Christian; to what God, by his Spirit, is producing in the heart of the believer.

All things are indeed pure - Compare Romans 14:14. This is a concession to those whom he was exhorting to peace. All things under the Christian dispensation are lawful to be eaten. The distinctions of the Levitical law are not binding on Christians.

But it is evil - Though pure in itself, yet it may become an occasion of sin, if another is grieved by it. It is evil to the man who pursues a course that will give offence to a brother; that will pain him, or tend to drive him off from the church, or lead him any way into sin.

With offence - So as to offend a brother, such as he esteems to be sin, and by which he will be grieved.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Romans 14:20. For meat destroy not the work of God — Do not hinder the progress of the Gospel either in your own souls or in those of others, by contending about lawful or unlawful meats. And do not destroy the soul of thy Christian brother, Romans 14:15, by offending him so as to induce him to apostatize.

All things indeed are pure — This is a repetition of the sentiment delivered, Romans 14:14, in different words. Nothing that is proper for aliment is unlawful to be eaten; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence-the man who either eats contrary to his own conscience, or so as to grieve and stumble another, does an evil act; and however lawful the thing may be in itself, his conduct does not please God.