Romans 14:18
in Romans 14For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men.
KJV
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
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This verse in Romans 14
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd therefore he says that he who in this serves Christ pleases God, and is approved by men. This is what he says elsewhere of himself: Just as I also, he says, please all men in all things, not seeking what is useful to me, but what is useful to many.
This site's exposition
what you consider good
on Romans 14:16-18
A believer's liberty is good, and it can still earn the gospel a bad name among those who watch. The kingdom of God stands in righteousness, peace, and the joy the Holy Spirit gives, and those three outrank food and drink.
This site's exposition
For whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God
Chrysostom and Theophylact hear a rebuke to the strong, who wanted men's approval for their freedom to eat. They answer that men approve peace more than perfection.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
The man who is acceptable to God is approved by men. Why? Because he has accepted the gift through which he appears worthy in the sight of God.
For they will not admire thee so much for thy perfect state, as all will for peace and amity. For this is a goodly thing, that all will have the benefit of, but of that not one even will.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Here he hints that the mature were reproaching the weak out of vainglory. If you wish, he says, to become an object of admiration for people, then arouse their admiration for you not so much by your perfection as by peace and other virtues. It …
Then he proves what he had said, namely, that the kingdom of God consists in these things. For the man who seems to belong to the kingdom of God is one who is pleasing to God and approved by holy men. But this happens to …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
The kingdom of God is not meat, &c. Observe here, [1.] The nature of true Christianity, what it is: it is here called, The kingdom of God; it is a religion intended to rule us, a kingdom: it stands in a true and hearty subjection to God's power and dominion.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
), to do all this out of respect to Christ himself as our Master, to his will as our rule and to his glory as our end. That which puts an acceptableness upon all our good duties is a regard to Christ in the doing of them. We are to serve his interests and designs in the world, which are in the first place to reconcile us one to another.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For he that in these things serveth Christ,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
For he that in these things - The man, whether Jew or Gentile, who in these things - righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, serveth Christ - acts according to his doctrine, is acceptable to God; for he has not only the form of godliness in thus serving Christ, but he has the power, the very spirit and essence of it, in having righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and therefore the whole frame of his mind, as well as his acts, must be acceptable to God. - And approved of men; for although religion may be persecuted, yet the righteous man, who is continually labouring for the public good, will be generally esteemed.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
In these things - In righteousness, peace, and joy. Serveth Christ - Or obeys Christ, who has commanded them. He receives Christ as his “master” or “teacher” and does his will in regard to them. To do these things is to do honor to Christ, and to show the excellency of his religion. Is acceptable to God - Whether he be converted from the Jews or the Gentiles. And approved of men - That is, people will “approve” of such conduct; they will esteem it to be right, and to be in accordance with the spirit of Christianity. He does not say that the wicked world will “love” such a life, but it will commend itself to them as such a life as people ought to lead.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | this thing | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| δουλεύων | douleuon | serving | G1398 → | 25 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Χριστῷ | christo | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| εὐάρεστος | euarestos | [is] well-pleasing | G2101 → | 9 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ | theo | to God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| δόκιμος | dokimos | approved | G1384 → | |
| τοῖς | tois | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀνθρώποις.¶ | anthropois | by men. | G444 → | 549 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τούτῳthis thing
toutoG3778 →1381 times
δουλεύωνserving
douleuonG1398 →25 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
ΧριστῷChrist
christoG5547 →523 times
εὐάρεστος[is] well-pleasing
euarestosG2101 →9 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷto God
theoG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
δόκιμοςapproved
dokimosG1384 →
τοῖς<the>
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀνθρώποις.¶by men.
anthropoisG444 →549 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:20–22
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone.
- 1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Corinthians 3:9
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
- Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
- 1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
- Ephesians 2:20–22
Through
2 Corinthians 5:11Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well.
it leads to
- Jude 1:23
save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
- Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- Jude 1:23
Through
2 Corinthians 8:21For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.
it leads to
- Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- Romans 12:17
Where this verse is studied
About Romans
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Charles Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, sermons on Romans 14; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 26; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.