# Romans 14.21 **Book:** [Romans](/codex/romans/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 19. So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. 20. Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. > > **21. It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.** > > 22. The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. 23. But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:19-23, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 19. So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 20. Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating. > > **21. It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.** > > 22. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves. 23. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:19-23, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. > > **21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.** > > 22. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. doubteth: or, discerneth and putteth a difference between meats damned: or, condemned, or liable to punishment (Romans 14:19-23, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 19. So, then, the things of peace may we pursue, and the things of building up one another; 20. for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, [are] pure, but evil [is] to the man who is eating through stumbling. > > **21. Right [it is] not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to [do anything] in which thy brother doth stumble, or is made to fall, or is weak.** > > 22. Thou hast faith! to thyself have [it] before God; happy is he who is not judging himself in what he doth approve, 23. and he who is making a difference, if he may eat, hath been condemned, because [it is] not of faith; and all that [is] not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:19-23, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** _TBD_ - **Audience:** _TBD_ - **Location:** _TBD_ - **Time period:** _TBD_ ## Theological reading _Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._ ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._ - None of the words in this verse has its own lexicon entry yet. ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Sabbath Breaking Stoning Objection Defeater](/codex/sabbath-breaking-stoning-objection-defeater/), via [Romans 14.1-23](/codex/romans-14-1-23/) **Concepts:** - [Marijuana and the Bible](/codex/marijuana-and-the-bible/) ## Notes _Your annotations._ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.