ROM 14:20 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Do not tear down the work of God on account of food. All things are indeed clean, but it is evil for the man who eats with a stumbling block.

UST Do not ruin what God has done because you want to eat certain foods! God permits us to eat all kinds of food. However, it is sinful for someone to eat certain foods if doing so tempts your fellow believer to sin.

BSB {Do} not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All [food is] clean, but [it is] wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.

BLB Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but it is wrong to the man eating through a stumbling block.

AICNT Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things are indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to cause another to stumble by what they eat.

OEB Do not undo God’s work for the sake of what you eat. Though everything is “clean,” yet, if a person eats so as to put a stumbling-block in the way of others, they do wrong.

WEBBE 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.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.

LSV Do not cast down the work of God for the sake of food; all things, indeed, [are] pure, but evil [is] to the man who is eating through stumbling.

FBV Don't destroy the work of God with arguments over food. Everything is clean—but it would be wrong to eat and offend others.

TCNT Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes another to stumble.

T4T Do not destroy what God has done in the life of any believer just because of your eating certain kinds of food [MET] which that person considers wrong to eat! God permits us to eat every kind of food. But if, by your eating certain kinds of food, you encourage another person to sin by doing what he believes is wrong, you are doing wrong.

LEB Do not destroy the work of God on account of food. All things are clean, but it is wrong for the person _⌊who eats and stumbles in the process_⌋[fn].

14:20 Literally “who eats with stumbling”

BBE Do not let the work of God come to nothing on account of food. All things are certainly clean; but it is evil for that man who by taking food makes it hard for another.

Moff You must not break down God's work for the mere sake of food! Everything may be clean, but it is wrong for a man to prove a stumbling-block by what he eats;

Wymth Do not for food's sake be throwing down God's work. All food is pure; but a man is in the wrong if his food is a snare to others.

ASV 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.

DRA Destroy not the work of God for meat. All things indeed are clean: but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

YLT 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.

Drby For the sake of meat do not destroy the work of [fn]God. All things indeed [are] pure; but [it is] evil to that man who eats while stumbling [in doing so].

14.20 Elohim

RV 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.
(Overthrow not for meat’s sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit/yet it is evil for that man who eateth/eats with offence. )

SLT Not for sake of food destroy thou the work of God. Truly all things clean; but evil to the man eating by offence.

Wbstr For the sake of food, destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense.

KJB-1769 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
(For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth/eats with offence. )

KJB-1611 For meat, destroy not the worke of God: all things indeed are pure; but it is euill for that man who eateth with offence.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation)

Bshps Destroy not the worke of God for meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it is euyll for that man, which eateth with offence.
(Destroy not the work of God for meats sake. All things are pure: but it is evil for that man, which eateth/eats with offence.)

Gnva Destroy not the worke of God for meates sake: all things in deede are pure: but it is euill for the man which eateth with offence.
(Destroy not the work of God for meats sake: all things indeed are pure: but it is evil for the man which eateth/eats with offence. )

Cvdl Destroye not ye worke of God for eny meates sake. All thinges truly are cleane, but it is euell for yt ma, which eateth wt hurte of his coscience
(Destroye not ye/you_all work of God for any meats sake. All things truly are clean, but it is evil for it man, which eateth/eats with hurt of his coscience)

TNT Destroye not the worke of god for a lytell meates sake. All thinges are pure: but it is evyll for that man which eateth with hurte of his conscience.
(Destroye not the work of god for a little meats sake. All things are pure: but it is evil for that man which eateth/eats with hurt of his conscience. )

Wycl Nyle thou for mete distrie the werk of God. For alle thingis ben clene, but it is yuel to the man that etith bi offendyng.
(Not/Don’t thou/you for meet destroy the work of God. For all things been clean, but it is evil to the man that eateth/eats by offending.)

Luth Lieber, verstöre nicht um der Speise willen Gottes Werk! Es ist zwar alles rein, aber es ist nicht gut dem, der es isset mit einem Anstoß seines Gewissens.
(love(n)r, verstöre not around/by/for the/of_the food will God’s work! It is that_is all/everything pure, but it is not good to_him, the/of_the it eating with on Anstoß his consciences.)

ClVg Noli propter escam destruere opus Dei, omnia quidem sunt munda: sed malum est homini, qui per offendiculum manducat.
(Don't because food destruere work/need of_God, everything indeed are clean: but evil it_is to_man, who/which through stumbling_block eats. )

UGNT μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος, κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ. πάντα μὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι.
(maʸ heneken brōmatos, katalue to ergon tou Theou. panta men kathara, alla kakon tōi anthrōpōi tōi dia proskommatos esthionti.)

SBL-GNT μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ. πάντα μὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι.
(maʸ heneken brōmatos katalue to ergon tou theou. panta men kathara, alla kakon tōi anthrōpōi tōi dia proskommatos esthionti.)

RP-GNT Μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ. Πάντα μὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι.
(Maʸ heneken brōmatos katalue to ergon tou theou. Panta men kathara, alla kakon tōi anthrōpōi tōi dia proskommatos esthionti.)

TC-GNT Μὴ ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πάντα μὲν καθαρά, ἀλλὰ κακὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι.
(Maʸ heneken brōmatos katalue to ergon tou Theou. Panta men kathara, alla kakon tōi anthrōpōi tōi dia proskommatos esthionti. )

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 14:13–23: Do not cause others to sin

In this section, Paul told the believers in Rome to stop considering some of their fellow believers as bad people. Instead they should choose not to hinder them. He told them that God does not consider any kind of food or any other kind of thing as not acceptable, but people who think that that food or thing is unacceptable, they should not eat it or use it. But those who find those things acceptable, they should not hurt the faith of those who find those things unacceptable. Righteousness, peace, and joy are the important things in God’s kingdom, not what you eat or drink. God is pleased when those who follow Jesus live in that way.

Paul encouraged the believers to do things that bring peace and encouragement for each other. They are not to hurt other believers over what they eat. They are not to cause other believers to stumble in their faith because of what they eat. Foods that might cause problems for other believers are to be eaten privately. A believer should not eat food if he has doubts about whether he should eat it or not. Everything that is not done in faith is sin.

Here are other possible headings for this section:

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble (ESV)

Don’t Cause Problems for Others (CEV)

14:20a

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.

Do not tear to pieces what God has made because you want to eat certain foods.
Do not ruin the thing that God has made there among you, just because you insist on eating certain foods in front of others.

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 is clean,

God says it is acceptable to use all things,
God permits us to use all things of this earth.

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

but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.

but it is evil/bad for someone to cause someone else to stumble because of the foods he eats.
But, if a believer eats something in front of someone that causes that person to stumble in his faith, then he has done wrong.

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:

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)
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)
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:

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)
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).

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

μὴ & κατάλυε τὸ ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τό ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ Παντᾶ μέν καθαρά ἀλλά κακόν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διά προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι)

Here, tear down refers to undoing the work God has done. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [Do not undo the work of God]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἕνεκεν βρώματος

on_account food

This phrase refers to a Christian eating food that another Christian thinks is unclean, as mentioned in [14:2–6](../14/02.md), [13–17](../14/13.md). See how you translated the similar phrase in [14:15](../14/15.md).

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

πάντα μὲν καθαρά

Here, things refers to food and clean refers to something that God has permitted. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [All foods are indeed permitted by God to be eaten]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

κακὸν

Here, it refers to the act of eating a food that someone believes God has not permitted. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [eating those things is evil]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διὰ προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι

˱to˲_the person ¬which (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Μή ἕνεκεν βρώματος κατάλυε τό ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ Παντᾶ μέν καθαρά ἀλλά κακόν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ διά προσκόμματος ἐσθίοντι)

Here, eats with a stumbling block refers to tempting another believer to sin by eating food that the other believer thinks is sinful to eat. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this explicitly. Alternate translation: [for the man to eat what causes another believer to stumble]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

προσκόμματος

˓a˒_stumbling_‹block›

See how you translated stumbling block in [11:9](../11/09.md).

Parallel ROM 14:20

Section 14:13–23: Do not cause others to sin

14:20a

14:20b

14:20c