Romans 14:8

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If 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.

King James Version (1611)
For whether we liue, we liue vnto the Lord: and whether wee die, we die vnto the Lord: whether wee liue therefore or die, we are the Lords.

King James Version
For 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.

English Standard Version
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

New American Standard Bible
for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

New Century Version
If we live, we are living for the Lord, and if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.

Amplified Bible
If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Legacy Standard Bible
for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Berean Standard Bible
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Contemporary English Version
Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord.

Complete Jewish Bible
for if we live, we live in relation to the Lord; and if we die, we die in relation to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord —

Darby Translation
For both if we should live, [it is] to the Lord we live; and if we should die, [it is] to the Lord we die: both if we should live then, and if we should die, we are the Lord's.

Easy-to-Read Version
If we live, we are living for the Lord. And if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For whether wee liue, we liue vnto the Lorde: or whether we die, we die vnto the Lorde: whether we liue therefore, or die, we are the Lords.

George Lamsa Translation
For whether we live, we live unto our LORD; and whether we die, we die unto our LORD: whether we live therefore, or die, we belong to our LORD.

Good News Translation
If we live, it is for the Lord that we live, and if we die, it is for the Lord that we die. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Lexham English Bible
For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

Literal Translation
For both if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Then both if we live, and if we die, we are the Lord's.

American Standard Version
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Bible in Basic English
As long as we have life we are living to the Lord; or if we give up our life it is to the Lord; so if we are living, or if our life comes to an end, we are the Lord's.

Hebrew Names Version
For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

International Standard Version
If we live, we live to honor the Lord; and if we die, we die to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Etheridge Translation
For if we live, to our Lord we live; and if we die, to our Lord we die: and if we live, then, or if we die, our Lord's are we.

Murdock Translation
Because, if we live, to our Lord it is we live; or if we die, to our Lord it is we die. Whether we live, therefore, or whether we die, we are our Lord's.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For yf we lyue, we lyue vnto ye Lorde: And if we dye, we dye vnto the Lorde. Whether we lyue therfore, or dye, we are the Lordes.

English Revised Version
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

World English Bible
For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Whether therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's.

Weymouth's New Testament
If we live, we live to the Lord: if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whether we lyuen, we lyuen to the Lord; and whethir we dien, we dien to the Lord. Therfor whethir we lyuen or dien, we ben of the Lord.

Update Bible Version
For whether we live, we live to the Lord; or whether we die, we die to the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Webster's Bible Translation
For whether we live, we live to the Lord; and whether we die, we die to the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

New English Translation
If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

New King James Version
For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.

New Living Translation
If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

New Life Bible
If we live, it is for the Lord. If we die, it is for the Lord. If we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

New Revised Standard
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For both, if we live, unto the Lord, we live, and, if we die, unto the Lord, we die; whether therefore we live, the Lord's, we are; or whether we die, the Lord's, we are;

Douay-Rheims Bible
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

Revised Standard Version
If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
For none of vs lyveth his awne servaut: nether doeth anye of vs dye his awne servaunt. Yf we lyve we lyve to be at ye lordes will. And yf we dye we dye at ye lordes will. Whether we lyve therfore or dye we are the lordes.

Young's Literal Translation
for both, if we may live, to the Lord we live; if also we may die, to the Lord we die; both then if we may live, also if we may die, we are the Lord's;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For none of vs lyueth to himselfe, and none dyeth to him selfe. Yf we lyue, we lyue vnto the LORDE: Yf we dye, we dye vnto the LORDE. Therfore, whether we lyue or dye, we are the LORDES.

Mace New Testament (1729)
if we live, our life is appropriated to the Lord; and if we die, we die as his servants: whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.

Simplified Cowboy Version
We live to honor God. We die to honor God. So, it doesn't matter whether we are living or dying, to it all for the Lord.

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

we die unto: John 21:19, Acts 13:36, Acts 20:24, Acts 21:13, Philippians 2:17, Philippians 2:30, 1 Thessalonians 5:10

we live therefore: 1 Corinthians 3:22, 1 Corinthians 3:23, 1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18, Revelation 14:13

Reciprocal: Daniel 3:28 - yielded Hosea 6:2 - we Hosea 10:1 - an empty vine John 13:13 - call Acts 2:36 - that same Romans 8:38 - that 1 Corinthians 1:2 - our Lord 1 Corinthians 12:5 - but 2 Corinthians 4:5 - Christ 2 Corinthians 5:9 - whether 2 Corinthians 5:15 - that they Galatians 2:19 - that Ephesians 4:5 - One Lord Colossians 3:23 - as Titus 2:14 - unto Revelation 1:18 - was

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
Lot looked. He saw the whole plain of the Jordan spread out, well watered (this was before God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah), like God 's garden, like Egypt, and stretching all the way to Zoar. Lot took the whole plain of the Jordan. Lot set out to the east. That's how they came to part company, uncle and nephew. Abram settled in Canaan; Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched his tent near Sodom. The people of Sodom were evil—flagrant sinners against God . After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, "Open your eyes, look around. Look north, south, east, and west. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I'll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, get moving! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I'm giving it all to you." Abram moved his tent. He went and settled by the Oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to God .

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 14:10
The Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into the tar pits, but the rest escaped into the mountains. The four kings captured all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, all their food and equipment, and went on their way. They captured Lot, Abram's nephew who was living in Sodom at the time, taking everything he owned with them.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord,.... As natural, so spiritual life is derived from the Lord, and believers live by faith upon him, and according to his will revealed in the word; find to his honour and glory; at least they desire so to do:

and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; resigning up life unto him, whenever it is his pleasure; magnifying of him, as by life, so by death; dying to be with him, to be raised again by him, and live with him for evermore; in the faith and hope of this, the believer both lives and dies, and so glorifies Christ both in life and death: hence this conclusion follows,

whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's; by the gift of the Father to him, by his own purchase, and the power of his grace, making them willing to give up themselves to him: and hence it is, that under a sense of this, that they are his, and not their own, nor another's, they do all they do for his glory; whether they observe, or not observe a day, it is to the Lord; whether they eat, or not eat things formerly forbidden, it is to him; and whether they live or die, it is to the Lord, whose they are: and hence also it is, that they are not to be despised and set at nought, or to be judged and censured by one another, since they belong to another master, who is their Lord, and will be their Judge.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For whether we live - As long as we live.

We live unto the Lord - We live to do his will, and to promote his glory. This is the grand purpose of the life of the Christian. Other people live to gratify themselves; the Christian to do those things which the Lord requires. By “the Lord” here the apostle evidently intends the Lord Jesus, as it is evident from Romans 14:9; and the truth taught here is, that it is the leading and grand purpose of the Christian to do honor to the Saviour. It is this which constitutes his special character, and which distinguishes him from other people.

Whether we die - In the dying state, or in the state of the dead; in the future world. We are “no where” our own. In all conditions we are “his,” and bound to do his will. The connection of this declaration with the argument is this: Since we belong to another in every state, and are bound to do his will, we have no right to assume the prerogative of sitting in judgment on another. “We” are subjects, and are bound to do the will of Christ. All other Christians are subjects in like manner, and are answerable, not to us, but directly to the Lord Jesus, and should have the same liberty of conscience that we have. The passage proves also that the soul does not cease to be conscious at death. We are still the Lord’s; his even when the body is in the grave; and his in all the future world: see Romans 14:9.