Romans 14:20 kjv
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
Romans 14:20 nkjv
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
Romans 14:20 niv
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
Romans 14:20 esv
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.
Romans 14:20 nlt
Don'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.
Romans 14 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 15:2 | Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. | Edifying others through love. |
| 1 Cor 8:1 | Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. | Love's priority over knowledge. |
| 1 Cor 8:9 | Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block. | Christian liberty must not cause stumbling. |
| 1 Cor 8:12 | When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. | Harming a conscience is sin against Christ. |
| 1 Cor 8:13 | Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall, I will never eat meat. | Sacrifice liberty to prevent stumbling. |
| 1 Cor 10:23 | “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. | Freedom is for edification, not mere permission. |
| 1 Cor 10:24 | No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. | Prioritizing others' good over one's own. |
| Phil 2:3-4 | In humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look... | Humility and seeking the interests of others. |
| Eph 4:29 | Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up... | Speaking words that build up and edify. |
| Gal 5:13 | For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as... | Freedom for service, not for self-indulgence. |
| Heb 10:24 | And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. | Mutual encouragement in faith. |
| Matt 18:6 | Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better... | Gravity of causing a believer to stumble. |
| Lk 17:1-2 | It is impossible that no offenses should come: but woe unto him, through whom... | Woe to those who cause stumbling. |
| 2 Cor 6:3 | We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry. | Avoiding stumbling blocks for effective ministry. |
| Mk 7:19 | For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is expelled, thus declaring all foods clean. | Jesus declares all foods clean. |
| Acts 10:15 | And the voice came to him again a second time, "What God has made clean, do not call common." | God's declaration of clean food to Peter. |
| Rom 14:2 | One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. | Acknowledges diversity in dietary practices. |
| Rom 14:14 | I am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself. | Paul's conviction that no food is inherently defiling. |
| 1 Tim 4:4-5 | For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. | God's creation is good; sanctified by prayer. |
| Titus 1:15 | To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. | Purity of heart determines perceived purity. |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink... | Freedom from legalistic dietary rules. |
| Rom 14:5 | One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. | Diversity in observing special days. |
| Rom 14:23 | But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith... | Eating against one's conscience is sin. |
| 1 Cor 8:7 | Not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol... | The issue of a weak conscience regarding idol food. |
| 1 Cor 10:29 | "Conscience," I say, not your own, but the other person's. For why should my liberty be amenable to another's conscience? | Consider the other's conscience. |
| Phil 1:6 | And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion... | God's faithfulness in perfecting His work in believers. |
| Eph 2:10 | For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works... | Believers are God's creation. |
| 2 Cor 5:17 | Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away... | The believer's new identity as God's work. |
| Rom 14:4 | Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? | God alone judges His servants. |
| Rom 14:10 | Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? | Condemning or despising fellow believers. |
| Rom 14:13 | Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer... | Abstain from judging, rather prevent stumbling. |
| James 4:12 | There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. | God is the ultimate judge. |
Romans 14 verses
Romans 14 20 Meaning
Romans 14:20 is a powerful directive emphasizing that the pursuit of personal liberty, even in matters morally indifferent, should never come at the cost of a fellow believer's spiritual well-being. It declares that while all food is intrinsically permissible for a Christian, it becomes morally wrong to consume it if that act causes another believer to stumble in their faith, violate their conscience, or lead them astray. The verse urges believers to prioritize love, unity, and the spiritual health of their brothers and sisters in Christ over their own perceived rights or freedoms. It serves as a strong caution against actions that could "destroy the work of God" within another person.
Romans 14 20 Context
Romans chapter 14 addresses the sensitive issue of Christian liberty and living in unity despite differences in adiaphora—matters that are morally neutral and not central to salvation. The early Roman church consisted of both "strong" believers, who fully understood their freedom in Christ from the ceremonial law (e.g., regarding food laws and special days), and "weak" believers, whose consciences were troubled by such practices (perhaps due to past associations with pagan idol worship or a more traditional Jewish background). Paul, being a strong advocate of Christian freedom (Rom 14:14), here cautions against using this freedom in a way that would offend, lead into sin, or undermine the faith of a weaker brother or sister. Verse 20 specifically follows Paul's teaching that believers are not to "destroy" (κατάλυε) one another over non-essentials. The immediate preceding verse, Rom 14:19, urges pursuing peace and mutual edification. Thus, Rom 14:20 highlights the potential spiritual damage inflicted by an insensitive exercise of liberty, even if the liberty itself is legitimate. The overarching historical context includes the challenges of integrating diverse backgrounds (Jewish converts vs. Gentile converts) into a unified Christian community.
Romans 14 20 Word analysis
- Do not destroy (Μὴ κατάλυε - mē katalye): The Greek verb katalyō means to unloose, pull down, demolish, or ruin. In this context, it signifies far more than just "displeasing" or "grieving"; it means actively tearing down or undoing God's constructive work in a believer's life. The imperative form indicates a direct command against such action.
- the work of God (τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ - to ergon tou theou): This phrase refers primarily to a believer’s faith, their conscience, their spiritual growth, their standing in Christ, and even their very life as a new creation in God. It highlights the divine investment in each individual.
- for the sake of food (ἕνεκεν βρώματος - heneken brōmatos): "Food" (βρῶμα - brōma) is the specific issue discussed in Romans 14, but it serves as a metonymy for any indifferent matter or adiaphoron where personal convictions differ, but fundamental doctrines are not at stake. This emphasizes the trivial nature of the issue when compared to the gravity of spiritual damage.
- All things indeed are clean (πάντα μὲν καθαρά - panta men kathara): Paul affirms the truth of Christian liberty (Mk 7:19; Acts 10:15; 1 Tim 4:4). "Clean" (καθαρά - kathara) signifies ceremonial and moral permissibility, meaning no food inherently defiles a person or is morally wrong to consume.
- but it is wrong (ἀλλὰ κακὸν - alla kakon): "Wrong" (κακόν - kakon) here means "bad," "evil," "harmful," or "destructive." This introduces a moral qualification based on effect, not on the inherent nature of the act itself. An action that is intrinsically neutral becomes morally culpable because of its harmful impact on others.
- for a person to eat (τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ ἐσθίοντι - tō anthrōpō tō esthionti): This specifies the actor and the action – the "strong" believer eating the food in question. The problem lies not with the eating per se, but with the circumstances of that eating.
- when it causes another to stumble (διὰ προσκόμματος - dia proskommatos): "Stumble" (προσκόμματος - proskommatos) means "stumbling block," "occasion of offense," or "cause of ruin." This refers to causing a "weak" brother or sister to fall into sin by either:
- Causing them to eat against their own conscience, thus incurring guilt (Rom 14:23).
- Leading them to abandon their faith or disregard their conscience.
- Demoralizing them or shaking their conviction about what is right.
Words-group analysis:
- "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food": This phrase directly contrasts the immense value of God's redemptive work in a human soul with the comparatively minor issue of diet. It calls believers to weigh priorities carefully and to place spiritual welfare above personal gratification in indifferent matters.
- "All things indeed are clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat when it causes another to stumble": This concise statement brilliantly balances Christian liberty with Christian love. It acknowledges the validity of theological truth ("all things are clean") while simultaneously setting a critical boundary for the practical application of that truth ("but it is wrong... when it causes another to stumble"). It transforms a matter of individual freedom into one of community responsibility.
Romans 14 20 Bonus section
This verse implies that God places immense value on the spiritual state and conscience of each believer. Causing a brother to stumble is not merely a social misstep but a serious act that impinges upon God's ongoing work of sanctification and community building. The concept of "destroying the work of God" underscores the sacredness of individual consciences, seeing them not as hindrances but as crucial to God's dealings with His children. It further highlights that spiritual maturity isn't just about theological knowledge and asserting one's freedom, but about developing the wisdom and loving self-restraint to use that freedom responsibly for the greater good of the community and the glory of God. The verse indirectly challenges self-centeredness and pride, fostering an environment where love is the supreme guide for all actions among believers.
Romans 14 20 Commentary
Romans 14:20 stands as a foundational text for Christian ethics concerning matters of conscience and communal living. It provides a crucial qualification to Christian liberty: freedom, though granted by God, is not absolute in its application within the body of Christ. The emphasis shifts from individual rights to corporate responsibility, governed by the law of love. Paul clearly distinguishes between what is intrinsically permissible and what is expedient or edifying in specific social and spiritual contexts. The "work of God" in a believer—their spiritual journey, their sanctification, their walk of faith—is incredibly precious. To actively tear this down, even unintentionally, by thoughtless indulgence in one's freedoms regarding an adiaphoron, is considered a grave offense. This verse is a call to humility, empathy, and sacrificial love, urging believers to surrender their perceived rights when their exercise might hinder another's spiritual progress.
- Practical example: A mature Christian who feels freedom to drink alcohol should refrain from doing so in the company of a new convert who previously struggled with alcoholism, even if the mature Christian drinks moderately and responsibly. The principle of not causing the "work of God" in the new convert to be destroyed or jeopardized outweighs the personal freedom to drink.
- Practical example: A believer who holds a strong conviction against certain types of entertainment might stumble if a respected church leader promotes engaging with that entertainment. Even if the entertainment is not inherently sinful, the leader might choose to forgo it out of love and a desire to preserve the spiritual well-being of the believer who finds it morally troubling.