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You must accept any fellow believer in the Messiah who is immature. Do not argue with them about matters of opinion. 2 {There are some people} who are convinced that they can eat all {kinds of food}. But the immature believer in the Messiah {thinks they can} eat {only} vegetables. 3 {The believer in the Messiah} who eats {every kind of food}, must not scorn {his fellow believer} who does not eat {every kind of food. The believer in the Messiah} who does not eat {every kind of food}, must not judge {his fellow believer} who eats {every kind of food}. This is because God accepts him. 4 Just as the master of a servant is the only one who has the right to judge him, in the same way, only the Lord Jesus has the right to judge his servants. The master places each servant in front of him to judge whether he should vindicate or condemn them. But, since the Lord Jesus is the judge, he is powerful enough to vindicate whoever he chooses{–whether or not they eat only vegetables}.5 Some people decide that certain days are special, while other people decide that each day is the same. Each person should decide based on however his conscience fully convinces him. 6 The person who is concerned about certain {feast} days, is concerned about them in order to {honor} the Lord {Jesus}. The person who eats {certain foods}, eats in order to {honor} the Lord {Jesus}. This is because he gives thanks to God. The person who refuses to eat {certain foods}, refuses to eat in order to {honor} the Lord {Jesus}. He too is thankful to God. 7 This is because none of us believers in the Messiah lives to {honor} himself, and none of us believers in the Messiah dies to {honor} himself. 8 Certainly, while we are alive, we must live to {honor} the Lord {Jesus}. When we die, we are going to die to {honor} the Lord {Jesus}. So then, whether we are alive or dead, we belong to the Lord {Jesus}. 9 In fact, this is why the Messiah {Jesus} died and {was made} alive: so that he would become Lord over those who are dead and those who are alive.
10 But, those of you who judge your fellow believers in the Messiah have no right to do this! You also must not scorn your fellow believer in the Messiah! This is because {one day God himself will judge all believers in the Messiah}. We will all have to present ourselves in front of God’s place of judgment. 11 Indeed, this is what God says in the holy scriptures, “The Lord says, ‘As certainly as I am alive, it is just as certain that every person will bow down and worship me. And every person will acknowledge that I am God.’”
12 So, it is certain that each one of us believers in the Messiah will have to give an answer to God for whatever we do {in this life}.
13 As a result, we must stop judging other people. Instead, we must rather resolve not to do anything that could tempt our fellow believers in the Messiah to sin, or cause them to be offended. 14 I am absolutely convinced as a spokesperson for the Lord Jesus, that believers in the Messiah are permitted to eat any food. If {an immature} believer in the Messiah regards some food as unacceptable to eat, then it is {only} unacceptable for that person to eat it. 15 Yet, if you grieve an {immature} believer in the Messiah by eating what that person considers unacceptable, you have stopped treating that person lovingly. You must not cause a fellow believer in the Messiah to {stop trusting in God and} come to {potential spiritual} ruin–{all} because {you want to eat certain kinds} of food! {Remember, this is a person} who the Messiah Jesus died to save! 16 So then, you must not contribute to having anyone slander the good that all of you believers in the Messiah possess. 17 This is because God’s kingdom is not characterized by eating and drinking. Instead, God’s kingdom is characterized by living rightly {with God}, living peacefully {with each other}, and living joyfully {with the Holy Spirit}. 18 Because {any} believer who serves the Messiah {Jesus} by doing these things greatly pleases God, and {other} people will {also} approve how that believer serves the Messiah Jesus.
19 This is why we must strive to live peacefully and {spiritually} support each one our fellow believers. 20 You must not jeopardize the work God has done in the lives of your fellow believers in the Messiah {by causing them} to stop trusting in God and} come to {potential spiritual} ruin–{all} because {you want to eat certain kinds} of food! Even though all {kinds of food} are acceptable {to eat}, yet if when you eat those foods it tempts your fellow believer to sin, your eating causes them harm. 21 {In fact,} it is better not to eat meat {at all}, or drink wine–or {do} anything that could tempt your fellow believer in the Messiah to sin, or could offend that person, or could contribute to that person remaining spiritually immature. 22 What you believe {is right to eat and drink}, is between you and God. How happy is the person who does what he is convinced is right without feeling guilty. 23 On the other hand, if someone eats but doubts that it is right to do so, that person has actually condemned himself! This is because a person must {only} eat because he believes it is right to do so. In fact, a person must do everything only if he believes it is right to do so, or else that person is {actually} sinning.