Welcome, weakness, and judging (14:1–4)
Says The Roman Christians are to welcome the one who is weak in faith, not for disputes over opinions (14:1). One person believes he may eat all things; the one who is weak eats vegetables (14:2). The one who eats must not despise the one who does not, and the one who does not eat must not judge the one who eats, because God has welcomed that person (14:3). No one is to judge another's household servant; the servant stands or falls to his own master, and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand (14:4).
Uncertain This chapter does not name who the "weak" and the implied "strong" are. The main options are: (1) Jewish Christians keeping kosher and/or avoiding marketplace meat, over against believers who eat all foods; (2) scruples about idol-food, by comparison with 1 Cor 8–10; (3) a broader ascetic or vegetarian practice not limited to Torah; (4) a mixed congregation in which more than one kind of scruple may be present. No lean is taken here.
Implies Romans 15:7–13 then grounds mutual welcome in Christ's welcome of Jew and Gentile. That letter-context may be noted without collapsing every "weak" person in this chapter into a Jewish Christian.
RP and TR read "God" at 14:4 rather than "Lord" (var.Rom.14.4.kyrios-theos) and "is able" as δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν rather than δυνατεῖ γάρ (var.Rom.14.4.dynatei). At 14:3 they have "and the one who does not eat" rather than "but the one who does not eat."
Claims
- SaysThe Roman Christians are to welcome the one who is weak in faith, not for disputes over opinions; one believes he may eat all things, and the weak person eats vegetables; the one who eats must not despise the one who abstains, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats, because God has welcomed that person; no one is to judge another's household servant, because the Lord is able to make that servant stand (14:1–4).
- UncertainThis chapter does not name who the weak and the implied strong are. Options include Jewish Christians keeping kosher and/or avoiding marketplace meat; scruples about idol-food, by comparison with 1 Cor 8–10; a broader ascetic or vegetarian practice not limited to Torah; or a mixed congregation with more than one kind of scruple. No lean is taken here.
- ImpliesRomans 15:7–13 grounds mutual welcome in Christ's welcome of Jew and Gentile; that letter-context does not collapse every weak person in this chapter into a Jewish Christian.
Citations
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. προσλαμβάνω (G4355) —
to take to oneself, take, receive
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. ἀσθενέω (G770) —
to be weak, feeble
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. διάκρισις (G1253) —
the act of judgment, discernment
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. διαλογισμός (G1261) —
a thought, reasoning, inward questioning
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. ἐξουθενέω (G1848) —
to set at nought, despise utterly, treat with contempt
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. οἰκέτης (G3610) —
a house-servant
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Abbott-Smith public domain s.v. δυνατέω (G1414) —
to be able, be powerful, mighty
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Rom 14:1–4
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BSB public domain Romans 14:4 —
for the Lord is able to make him stand
2026-11-09
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