Devine Scripture

Romans 14:15

What does Romans 14:15 mean?

A plain-English look at Romans 14:15 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Romans 14:15 means

If your eating grieves your brother, you are no longer walking in love. Liberty without love becomes a weapon. Paul speaks strongly: do not “destroy” by your food the one for whom Christ died. That brother’s soul is precious, valued at the price of the Savior’s blood. To insist on a menu at the expense of a conscience is to misread the cross. Love gladly yields nonessentials to safeguard another’s spiritual welfare. This does not mean surrendering truth, but choosing the good of a person over the assertion of rights when the matter is indifferent yet spiritually sensitive.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And if because of food your brother is troubled, then you are no longer going on in the way of love. Do not let your food be destruction to him for whom Christ went into death.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and if through victuals thy brother is grieved, no more dost thou walk according to love; do not with thy victuals destroy that one for whom Christ died.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For if, because of thy meat, thy brother be grieved, thou walkest not now according to charity. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For if on account of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer according to love. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ has died.

Context

Having affirmed freedom and conscience, Paul now elevates the stakes by bringing Christ’s sacrificial love into view. This heightens the moral seriousness of causing grief or stumbling. Verse 16 will caution against allowing good freedom to gain a bad reputation, and verse 17 will redirect attention to the true priorities of God’s kingdom. The line of thought presses the strong to evaluate their choices in light of the cross and the brother’s eternal good.

v.14I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

v.15This passage

v.16Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

Cross references

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

  • 1 Corinthians 8:1

    Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.

  • Ephesians 5:2

    and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

  • Philippians 2:2

    make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;

  • 1 Corinthians 13:1

    If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

  • 1 Corinthians 13:4

    Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

  • Galatians 5:13

    For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.

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