The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• The Calvin Translation Society, Instituted In May M.DCCC.XLIII.
• Translator’s Preface.
• Commentaries On the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans.
• The Epistle Dedicatory.
• Epistle to the Romans.: the Argument.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV. 1
• Chapter XVI.
• A Translation of Calvin’s Version of the Epistle to the Romans.
• Chapter I.
• Chapter II.
• Chapter III.
• Chapter IV.
• Chapter V.
• Chapter VI.
• Chapter VII.
• Chapter VIII.
• Chapter IX.
• Chapter X.
• Chapter XI.
• Chapter XII.
• Chapter XIII.
• Chapter XIV.
• Chapter XV.
• Chapter XVI.
• Errata.
• Works Published By T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh.

CHAPTER XIV.

1Now him who is weak in faith receive, not for the debatings of questions.

2Let him indeed who believes eat everything; but he who is3 weak, eats herbs. Let not him who eats, despise him who abstains; and let not him who abstains, condemn him who eats,4 since God has received him. Who art thou who judgest the servant of another? to his own Lord he stands or falls: he shall indeed stand, for God is able to make him stand.

5One indeed esteems a day above a day; but another esteems every day alike: let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind.

6He who regards a day, regards it for the Lord; and he who regards not a day, regards it not for the Lord: he who eats, eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains,7 abstains for the Lord, and gives thanks to God: for no8 one of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself; for whether we live, we live to the Lord, and whether we die, we die to the Lord; whether then we live or die, we are the Lord’s.9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose and lived again, that he might be the Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10But thou,1 why dost thou judge thy brother? or also thou,2 why dost thou despise thy brother? for we must all stand before11 the tribunal of Christ; for it is written, “Live do I, saith the Lord; to me shall bow every knee, and every tongue shall12 confess to God.” Every one of us then shall give an account13 of himself to God. Let us therefore no more judge one another; but rather judge this, that no occasion of falling or an offence be given to a brother.

14I know and am persuaded, that in the Lord Jesus nothing is in itself unclean: but he who regards anything unclean, to him15 it is unclean. But if on account of meat thy brother is grieved, thou no longer walkest consistently with love: by thy meat16 destroy not him for whom Christ died. Let not then your17 good be subject to the evil-speaking of men: for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and18 joy through the Holy Spirit. For he who in these things serves Christ, is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 Let us then follow the things of peace and of mutual edification:20 on account of meat destroy not the work of God.

All things are indeed pure; but evil it is for man to eat with21 offence. It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything, by which thy brother may fall, or be offended, or be weakened.

22Hast thou faith? Have it for thyself before God: happy is he who condemns not himself in that which he examines: but he who is undecided, if he eat, is condemned; for he eats not in faith: and whatsoever is not from faith is sin.

[1 ]The Jewish convert.

[2 ]The Gentile believer.