Romans redux (chs. 13b-15a)
11 And having understood that this is the appointed time, that it is now the hour for us to awake from sleep, for salvation is nearer to us now than when we [first] believed. 12 The night has advanced and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13 Let us walk about properly as in the daytime, not reveling and drunk, not promiscuous and in debauchery, not in strife and jealousy; 14 Rather, put on the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and don’t make provision for the desires of the flesh.
14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, and do not quarrel over opinions. 2 One believes in eating everything, but the weak person is eating only vegetables. 3 The one who eating [everything] must not despise the one not eating [everything], and the one not eating [everything] must not judge the one eating [everything], for God accepts him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own Lord he is standing or falling. And he will be stood, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person judges one day holier than another day [lit. “day by day”], and another judges every day the same [lit. “judges every day”]. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observing the day observes it to the Lord, and the one eating [everything] eats to the Lord because he is giving thanks to God, and the one not eating [everything] is abstaining to the Lord, and he is giving thanks to God.
7 For none of us is living to himself and no one is dying to himself. 8 If we are living, we are living to the Lord; if we are dying, we are dying to the Lord. Therefore, whether we are living or dying, we are the Lord’s. 9 For this reason the Messiah died and lived, so that he would be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you– why are you judging your brother (or sister)? And you also– why are you despising your brother (or sister)? For we will all be stood before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, to me every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess to God.” (Isa 45:23)
12 Therefore, each of us will give an account concerning himself to God.
13 Therefore no longer are we to judging on one another, but rather judge this way—to never put an obstacle or a stumbling block before a brother (or sister). 14 I have realized and been persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in and of itself; yet, it is unclean to the one who is reckoning it to be unclean. 15 For if your brother (or sister) is distressed because of food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let your food ruin one on behalf of whom the Messiah died. 16 Therefore do not let what is good be reviled. 17 For the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For serving the Messiah in this way is well-pleasing to God and approved by people.
19 So then, let us pursue the things of peace and the things building one another up. 20 Do not on account of food destroy the work of God. On the one hand all things are clean, but on the other hand it is evil to the person who is eating on account of an obstacle. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or [do] what your brother is stumbling [over]. 22 The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who is not judging himself by what he is approving. 23 But the one doubting, if he eats, has been condemned since [he does] not [act] out of faith (and everything that is not from faith is sin). 15:1 But we who able are owing [it to them] to bear with the weakness of the ones who are unable, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let each of us strive to please his neighbor for good, for building up. 3 For even the Messiah did not strive to please himself, rather, as it is written,
“The insults of the ones insulting you fell upon me.” (Psa 69:9)
4 (For everything written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we are having hope.)
5 Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you the same mindset about one another in accordance with the Messiah Jesus, 6 so that in one accord with one mouth you might glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah.
7 For this reason, accept one another, just as the Messiah also accepted you, to the glory of God. 8 For I am saying that the Messiah has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth in order to secure the promises of the fathers, 9 and [in order for] the gentiles to glorify God on account of mercy. As it is written,
“Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.” (Psa 18:49)
10 And again it says:
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” (Deut 32:43)
11 And again,
“Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” (Psa 117:1)
12 And again Isaiah says,
“The root of Jesse will come,
and the one who rises to rule the Gentiles,
in him Gentiles will hope.” (Isa 11:10)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with every joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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