14Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.G770G4102G4355G1161G3361G1519G1261G12532For instance, one person believes it's all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.G3303G3739G4100G5315G3956G1161G770G2068G30013Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't. And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.G1848G3361G2068G1848G2068G3361G2532G2068G3361G2068G3361G2919G2068G1063G2316G4355G8464Who are you to condemn someone else's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord's help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval.G5101G1488G4771G2919G245G3610G2398G2962G4739G2228G4098G1161G2476G1063G2316G2076G1415G2476G846G24765In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.G3303G3739G2919G2250G3844G2250G1161G3739G2919G3956G2250G4135G1538G4135G1722G2398G35636Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.G5426G2250G5426G2962G2532G5426G3361G2250G2962G5426G3756G5426G2068G2068G2962G1063G2316G2168G2532G2068G3361G2962G2068G3756G2532G2316G21687For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.G1063G3762G2257G2198G1438G2532G3762G599G14388If 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.G1063G1437G5037G2198G2198G2962G1437G5037G599G599G2962G1437G5037G2198G3767G1437G5037G599G2070G29629Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.G1063G1519G5124G5547G2532G599G2532G450G2532G326G2443G2961G2532G3498G2532G219810So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.G1161G5101G2919G4771G2919G4675G80G2228G2532G5101G1848G4771G1848G4675G80G1063G3936G3956G3936G968G554711For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'"G1063G1125G1473G2198G3004G2962G3754G3956G1119G2578G1698G2532G3956G1100G1843G231612Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.G3767G686G1538G2257G1325G3056G4012G1438G231613So let's stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.G2919G3767G2919G240G3371G235G2919G5124G3123G3361G5087G4348G2228G4625G8014I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.G1492G2532G3982G1722G2962G2424G3754G3762G2839G1223G1438G1508G3049G5100G1511G2839G1565G283915And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.G1161G1487G4675G80G3076G1223G1033G3765G4043G3765G26G2596G622G3361G1565G4675G1033G5228G3739G5547G59916Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.G3361G3767G5216G18G98717For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.G1063G932G2316G2076G3756G1035G2532G4213G235G1343G2532G1515G2532G5479G1722G40G415118If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.G1063G1722G5125G1398G5547G2101G2316G2532G1384G44419So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.G1377G686G3767G1377G3588G1515G2532G1519G240G3619G24020Don'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.G1752G1033G2647G3361G2041G2316G3956G3303G2513G235G2556G444G2068G1223G434821It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.G2570G3361G5315G2907G3366G4095G3631G3366G1722G3739G4675G80G4350G2228G4624G2228G77022You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right.G2192G4771G4102G2192G2596G4572G1799G2316G3107G2919G3361G1438G1722G3739G138123But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.G1161G1252G2632G1437G5315G3754G3756G1537G4102G1161G3739G3956G3756G1537G4102G2076G266
15We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.G2249G1161G1415G3784G941G771G102G2532G3361G700G14382We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.G1063G700G1538G2257G700G4139G1519G18G4314G36193For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me."G1063G2532G5547G700G3756G1438G235G2531G1125G3680G3679G4571G1968G1909G16914Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled.G1063G3745G4270G4270G1519G2251G1319G2443G2192G1223G5281G2532G3874G1124G2192G16805May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.G1161G2316G5281G2532G3874G1325G5213G846G5426G240G1722G240G2596G5547G24246Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.G2443G1392G3661G1722G1520G4750G1392G2316G2532G3962G2257G2962G2424G55477Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.G1352G4355G240G2531G2532G5547G2531G4355G2248G1519G1391G23168Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.G1161G3004G2424G5547G1096G1249G4061G5228G225G2316G1519G950G1860G39629He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: "For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name."G1161G1484G1392G2316G5228G1656G2531G1125G1223G5124G1223G1843G4671G1722G1484G2532G5567G4675G368610And in another place it is written, "Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles."G2532G3825G3004G2165G1484G3326G846G299211And yet again, "Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth."G2532G3825G134G2962G3956G134G1484G2532G1867G846G3956G299212And in another place Isaiah said, "The heir to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him."G2532G3825G2268G3004G2071G4491G2421G2532G450G757G1484G1909G846G1679G1484G167913I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.G1161G2316G1680G4137G5209G3956G5479G2532G1515G1722G4100G1519G5209G4052G1722G1680G1722G1411G40G415114I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them.G1161G1473G846G2532G3982G4012G5216G3450G80G3754G846G2532G2075G3324G19G4137G3956G1108G1410G2532G3560G24015Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God's grace,G1161G80G1125G5112G5213G575G3313G5613G1878G5209G1878G1223G5485G1325G3427G5259G231616I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit.G3165G1519G1511G3011G2424G5547G1519G1484G2418G2098G2316G2443G4376G1484G1096G2144G37G1722G40G415117So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God.G2192G3767G2746G1722G2424G5547G4314G231618Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them.G1063G5111G3756G5111G2980G5100G3739G5547G2716G3756G2716G1223G1700G1519G1484G5218G3056G2532G204119They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God's Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.G1722G1411G4592G2532G5059G1722G1411G4151G2316G5620G575G2419G2532G2945G3360G2437G3165G4137G2098G554720My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.G1161G3779G5389G2097G3756G3699G5547G3687G3363G3618G1909G245G231021I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, "Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand."G235G2531G1125G3739G846G312G3756G312G4012G3700G2532G3739G191G3756G191G492022In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.G1352G2532G1465G4183G1465G2064G4314G520923But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.G1161G3570G2192G3371G5117G1722G575G5125G2824G1161G2192G1974G4183G2094G2064G4314G520924I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.G5613G1437G4198G1519G4681G2064G4314G5209G1063G1679G2300G5209G1279G2532G4311G1563G5259G5216G1437G4412G1705G3313G1705G575G521625But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.G1161G3570G4198G1519G2419G1247G4026For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.G1063G2106G3109G2532G882G4160G5100G2842G1519G4434G40G3588G1722G241927They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.G2106G1063G2532G846G3781G1526G1063G1487G1484G2841G846G4152G3784G2532G3008G846G1722G455928As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.G3767G2005G5124G2532G4972G846G5126G2590G565G1223G5216G1519G468129And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.G1161G1492G3754G2064G4314G5209G2064G1722G4138G2129G2098G554730Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.G1161G3870G5209G80G1223G2962G2424G5547G2257G2532G1223G26G4151G4865G3427G1722G4335G4314G2316G5228G170031Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.G2443G4506G575G544G1722G2449G2532G2443G3450G1248G3588G1519G2419G1096G2144G4032Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.G2443G2064G4314G5209G1722G5479G1223G2307G2316G2532G4875G5213G487533And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.G1161G2316G1515G3326G5216G3956G281
16I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea.G1161G4921G5213G5402G2257G79G5607G1249G1577G3588G1722G27472Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God's people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.G2443G4327G846G1722G2962G516G40G2532G3936G846G1722G3739G302G4229G5535G5216G1063G3778G846G1096G4368G4183G2532G846G1700G25323Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus.G782G4252G2532G207G3450G4904G1722G5547G24244In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches.G3748G5294G5228G3450G5590G5294G1438G5137G3739G3756G3441G1473G2168G235G2532G3956G1577G14845Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ.G2532G1577G2596G846G3624G782G3450G27G1866G3739G2076G536G882G1519G55476Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.G782G3137G3748G2872G4183G2872G1519G22487Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did.G782G408G2532G2458G3450G4773G2532G3450G4869G3748G1526G1978G1722G652G3739G2532G1096G1722G5547G4253G17008Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.G782G291G3450G27G1722G29629Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.G782G3773G2257G4904G1722G5547G2532G4720G3450G2710Greet Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my greetings to the believers from the household of Aristobulus.G782G559G1384G1722G5547G782G3588G1537G71111Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew. Greet the Lord's people from the household of Narcissus.G782G2267G3450G4773G782G3588G1537G3488G3588G5607G1722G296212Give my greetings to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord's workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.G782G5170G2532G5173G2872G1722G2962G782G27G4069G3748G2872G4183G1722G296213Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.G782G4504G1588G1722G2962G2532G846G3384G2532G170014Give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who meet with them.G782G799G5393G2057G3969G2060G2532G80G4862G84615Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the believers who meet with them.G782G5378G2532G2456G3517G2532G846G79G2532G3652G2532G3956G40G4862G84616Greet each other in Christian love. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.G782G240G1722G40G5370G1577G5547G782G520917And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.G1161G3870G5209G80G4648G4160G1370G2532G4625G3844G1322G3739G5210G3129G2532G1578G575G84618Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.G1063G5108G1398G3756G2257G2962G2424G5547G235G1438G2836G2532G1223G5542G2532G2129G1818G2588G17219But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.G1063G5216G5218G864G1519G3956G5463G3767G1909G5213G1909G1161G2309G5209G4680G1519G1511G3303G18G1161G185G1519G255620The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.G1161G2316G1515G4937G4567G5259G5216G4228G1722G5034G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G28121Timothy, my fellow worker, sends you his greetings, as do Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.G5095G3450G4904G2532G3066G2532G2394G2532G4989G3450G4773G782G520922I, Tertius, the one writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as one of the Lord's followers.G1473G5060G1125G1992G782G5209G1722G296223Gaius says hello to you. He is my host and also serves as host to the whole church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends you his greetings, and so does our brother Quartus.G1050G3450G3581G2532G3650G1577G782G5209G2037G3623G4172G782G5209G2532G2890G8024G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3326G5216G3956G28125Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong, just as my Good News says. This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time.G1161G1410G4741G5209G2596G3450G2098G2532G2782G2424G5547G2596G602G3466G4601G5550G16626But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal God has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him.G1161G3568G5319G5037G1223G1124G4397G2596G2003G166G2316G1107G1519G3956G1484G1519G5218G410227All glory to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.G2316G3441G4680G1391G1223G2424G5547G1519G165G281
Dublin, OH
? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.G1161
