Devine Scripture

Romans 14:10

What does Romans 14:10 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 14:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 14:10 means

If Christ is Lord, why should we assume His seat to judge or despise a brother? Paul reminds us that all will stand before the judgment seat of God. This levels the ground. No believer is the ultimate evaluator of another’s conscience; God is. The strong must not write off the weak, and the weak must not condemn the strong. Remembering our own future appearance before God curbs arrogance and urges humility. If we will each give account, our energy is better spent examining ourselves and preparing to meet God, rather than policing a neighbor’s freedoms or scruples in matters where Scripture allows variance.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

But you, why do you make yourself your brother's judge? or again, why have you no respect for your brother? because we will all have to take our place before God as our judge.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or again, thou, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand at the tribunal of the Christ;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

But thou, why judgest thou thy brother? Or thou, why dost thou despise thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

But thou, why judgest thou thy brother? or again, thou, why dost thou make little of thy brother? for we shall all be placed before the judgment-seat ofGod.

Context

Coming right after verse 9’s declaration of Christ’s lordship, this verse applies the truth: stop judging and despising. Paul introduces the final judgment to reorient the church’s posture. Verse 11 will confirm this with a written Scripture, and verse 12 will draw the personal conclusion. Together, these verses close the first section’s argument against intramural judgments and open the door to the positive exhortations about loving restraint beginning in verse 13.

v.9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

v.10This passage

v.11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 20:11

    And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

  • Acts 17:31

    inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

  • Romans 14:3

    Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:10

    For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

  • Jude 1:14

    And to these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

  • Acts 4:11

    He is the stone which was set at nought of you the builders, which was made the head of the corner.

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