OET interlinear ROM 14:20

14:20a

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food: In the Greek, the phrase for the sake of food is emphasized by being near the front of the clause. If possible emphasize this phrase in a natural way in your language.

destroy: Here this word is a figure of speech that refers to tearing a building apart. It is opposite the figure of speech of building something in 14:19b. If possible use a figure of speech that is opposite building something. For example:

tear down (NASB)

wreck (GNT)

Some languages cannot use a figure of speech here. If that is true in your language, translate the meaning without a figure of speech. For example:

ruin (GW)

damageWestern Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation on TW.

the work of God: This probably refers to an individual believer or the believers in Rome as a group.See Dunn (page 825), Jewett (page 866), or Moo (pages 859–860). God has made every believer into his child and has put them together into the group. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

what God has done (GNT)

the thing that God has made/accomplished

for the sake of food: This phrase refers to the foods one chooses to eat. Do not choose to eat food in front of a believer who thinks that eating that food is forbidden by God. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

because of what you eat (GW)

because of our eating what others say shouldn’t be eatenUma Back Translation on TW.

14:20b

All food: Here the Greek word that the BSB translates as All food is literally “everything.” This word refers to any kind of food. For example:

Everything (ESV)

clean: Here this word refers to something which is fitting for use in serving or worshiping God. God sees that thing as acceptable for use by believers.

14:20c

a man to let his eating be a stumbling block: The Greek is literally “the one eating through stumbling/offense.” There are three ways to interpret it:

1. It is addressed to the believer who eats all foods. Other believers think that God still forbids some foods, and this believer causes them to stumble in their faith by eating those foods. For example:

   a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble (NIV11) (BSB, RSV, NIV11, GNT, ESV, NABRE, NASB, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, REB, NCV)

2. It is addressed to the believer who thinks that God forbids some foods. He sees other believers eating those foods and decides to eat them, which causes him to stumble in his faith. For example:

   someone to whom it is an offence to eat it (NJB) (NJB)

3. It is addressed to both kinds of believers. For example:

   that man who eateth with offence (KJV) (KJV)

The Greek perhaps allows for interpretation (3), but it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the context seems to support it best.Moo, Longenecker, Kruse, Lenski, Alford, Nicoll, and Fitzmyer support interpretation (1). Dunn leans this way in his prose but his translation supports interpretation (2). Witherington supports interpretation (1) in his prose but his translation is like the KJV. Barrett’s translation supports interpretation (1) but he says in his prose that it could be either. Schreiner supports interpretation (2). Many explain their clues to support their opinion, but none are conclusive. But the reasons to support interpretation (1) seem better than those for interpretation (2).

let…be a stumbling block: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word here:

1. It refers to causing someone to have difficulties and implies difficulties in their faith. For example:

   causes…to sin (NCV) (BSB, RSV, NIV, GNT, ESV, NABRE, NLT, GW, CEV, NET, REB, NCV)

2. It refers to being offended. For example:

   someone to whom it is an offence to eat it (NJB) (NJB, NASB, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that is its meaning in 14:13 (“put any stumbling block”).Moo, Longenecker, Cranfield, Schreiner, Jewett, and BDAG support interpretation (1).