Romans 14:14 NIV

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Romans 14:14-16

Romans 14:14-16. I know By the light of reason; and am persuaded Or assured; by the Lord Jesus Probably by a particular revelation from him; that there is nothing No kind of meat; unclean of itself Or unlawful under the gospel. But to him that esteemeth any thing unclean That in his conscience accounts it to be so; it is unclean How indifferent soever it is in itself: and he will contract guilt before God, by allowing himself in it, whether it be to indulge his own taste, or to... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Romans 14:1-23

The use of Christian liberty (14:1-15:13)Although Christians are free from religious rules and regulations such as those found in Moses’ law, some have difficulty living with such freedom. Because their faith is not strong, they have their own laws which they feel bound to keep. Other Christians should accept such people warmly into their fellowship and not argue with them about personal opinions (14:1).Some of the Jewish Christians in the church in Rome had grown little in their faith and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Romans 14:14

know . App-132 . persuaded . See Romans 8:38 . Lord Jesus . See Romans 10:9 . there is nothing = nothing (Greek. oudeis) is. unclean . i.e. ceremonially unclean. See Acts 2:44 (common). but = except. Literally if ( App-118 ) not ( App-105 ). esteemeth = reckoneth. See Romans 2:3 ; Romans 4:3 . him = that same. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Romans 14:14

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.See under Romans 14:2 and Romans 14:5, regarding clean meats and the power of conscience to make even an innocent action wrong. Paul did not here place himself upon either side of such a question and refrained utterly from making it a matter of faith. It was all a question of knowledge, and the weak brother simply did not have sufficient... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Romans 14:14

14, 15. I know, and am persuaded by—or rather, "in" the Lord Jesus—as "having the mind of Christ" ( :-). that there is nothing unclean of itself—Hence it is that he calls those "the strong" who believed in the abolition of all ritual distinctions under the Gospel. (See Acts 10:15). but—"save that" to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean—"and therefore, though you can eat of it with out sin, he cannot." read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 14:13-23

2. The evil of offending one another 14:13-23In the previous section Paul addressed both the "weak" and the "strong" Christians, but he spoke mainly about the weaker brother’s temptation to condemn the stronger believer. In this section he dealt more with the temptation that the stronger brother faces. Paul structured his argument in a chiasm. [Note: Moo, p. 850.] A Warning about stumbling blocks (13b) B Nothing is "unclean" in itself (14a) C Warning about destroying one for whom Christ died... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Romans 14:14

The Lord Jesus taught that the distinction between ceremonially clean and unclean food had ended (Mark 7:15-23). Nevertheless not all Christians had grasped this teaching (e.g., Acts 10:9-15). Many still regarded the Jewish dietary laws as God’s will for them (e.g. Seventh-Day Adventists and other sabbatarian groups). Is it any wonder that many Christians even today mistakenly think that the Mosaic Code constitutes their rule of life? Defilement springs from the mind, not material objects (cf.... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Romans 14:1-23

The Duty of Sympathy and TolerationIn chapter Romans 13:12 St. Paul urged his readers, by their expectation of Christ’s coming, to avoid the licence and immorality of the heathen. Now he turns to the opposite extreme, and deals with the ascetic scrupulousness of certain Christians.Under the Jewish Law there was a distinction between clean and unclean meats. This distinction, which perpetuated the separation between Jew and Gentile, Christ abolished (Mark 7:19 RV), as was afterwards revealed to... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Romans 14:14

(14) I know, and am persuaded.—The Apostle clearly identifies himself with the less scrupulous party. For one of his intense penetration and grasp on the realities of things, any other position was impossible. But while these essential features in the Apostle’s character find the noblest expression, we cannot but note his attitude of gentle forbearance towards those whose faith is less deep and less robust than his own. This comes out especially in that pathetic and pregnant appeal, “Destroy... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Romans 14:1-23

Romans 14:5 'Do consider the immense strength of that single verse, Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind,' writes Dr. Arnold of Rugby. 'I am myself so much inclined to the idea of a strong social bond that I ought not to be suspected of any tendency to anarchy; yet I am beginning to think that the idea may be over-strained, that this attempt to merge the soul and will of the individual man in the general body is, when fully developed, contrary to the very essence of Christianity.... read more