Romans 14:6
in Romans 14He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
KJV
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
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This verse in Romans 14
Commentary
15 notes on this verseHe who is wise concerning the day, is wise for the Lord; and he who eats, eats for the Lord: for he gives thanks to God; and he who does not eat, for the Lord does not eat, and gives thanks to God. Thanks therefore are rendered to God by both: by the one indeed for the fruit of continence; by the other for the liberty of eating.
This site's exposition
To his own master he stands or falls
on Romans 14:4-6
Each believer answers to his own master, and the Lord Himself is able to make him stand. The second dispute is the calendar, and each is to be fully convinced in his own mind. Whichever way a man regards the day or eats, he does so to the Lord.
This site's exposition
He who observes a special day does so to the Lord
Both the one who eats and the one who abstains give thanks to God. Matthew Henry takes the verse as a witness that giving thanks before and after meat was the common practice of the church. Thanks to God unites the two.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
When someone observes the day well, he keeps the day for the Lord. To judge the day well means you are not to despair over the future correction of the person whose guilt might appear now to be clean.
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence · Written before 523.
proposed
For freedom is above the law, and therefore it is the same to thee whether thou eatest, or whether thou eatest not, even as Paul spake concerning this freedom of the spirit, saying, "He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord, and he …
"He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it." And, "He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." He still keeps to the same subject. And what he means is about this. The thing is not concerned with fundamentals. For the thing requisite is, if this person and the other are acting for God's sake, the thing requisite is, if both terminate in thanksgiving. For indeed both this one and that give thanks to God. If then both do give thanks to God, the difference is no great one. But let me draw your notice to the way in which here also he aims unawares a blow at the Judaizers. For if the thing required be this, the "giving of thanks," it is plain enough that he which eateth it is that "giveth thanks," and not "he which eateth not." For how should he, while he still holds to the Law? As then he told the Galatians, "As many of you as are justified by the Law are fallen from grace" (Gal. v. 4); so here he hints it only, but does not unfold it so much. For as yet it was not time to do so. But for the present he bears with it: but by what follows he gives it a further opening. ...
"Let him who eateth, not despise him who eateth not; and let him who eateth not, not judge him who eateth." And a little way on he explains the reason of the command, when he says, "He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, and giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." So that the right food is thanksgiving. And he who gives thanks does not occupy his time in pleasures.
The Medieval Church1 voice
He who, he says, distinguishes days, distinguishes them for the Lord, as one who is reverent; and he who does not distinguish days, does not distinguish them for the Lord, as one who is already perfect in Christ and has risen above the observances of …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, he who regards the day, he proves his proposition, namely, that each one stands or falls before his own master. And he does this in three ways. First, he proves it by appealing to the act of believers; second, by their …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
4 , justly makes this observation: It appears by this that saying grace (as we commonly call it, perhaps from 1 Cor. x. 30 ) before and after meat was the common known practice of the church, among Christians of all sorts, weak and strong: an ancient, commendable, apostolical, Christian practice, derived down from Christ's example through all the ages of the church, Matt. xiv.
Regardeth it to the Lord - That is, out of a principle of conscience toward God. To the Lord he doth not regard it - He also acts from a principle of conscience.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord,.... The apostle strengthens the above advice with this reason, because what is done both by one and the other, is done unto the Lord.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
He that regardeth the day - A beautiful apology for mistaken sincerity and injudicious reformation. Do not condemn the man for what is indifferent in itself: if he keep these festivals, his purpose is to honor God by the religious observance of them. On the other hand, he who finds that he cannot observe them in honor of God, not believing that God has enjoined them, he does not observe them at all. In like manner, he that eateth any creature of God, which is wholesome and proper food, gives thanks to God as the author of all good.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For none of us--Christians liveth to himself--(See 2Co 5:14, 15), to dispose of himself or shape his conduct after his own ideas and inclinations. and no man--"and none" of us Christians "dieth to himself."
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He that regardeth - Greek, “Thinketh of;” or pays attention to; that is, he that “observes” it as a festival, or as holy time. The day - Any of the days under discussion; the days that the Jews kept as religious occasions. Regardeth unto the Lord - Regards it as “holy,” or as set apart to the service of God. He believes that he is “required” by God to keep it, that is, that the laws of Moses in regard to such days are binding on him. He that regardeth not the day - Or who does not observe such distinctions of days as are demanded in the laws of Moses. To the Lord ... - That is, he does not believe that God “requires” such an observance. He that eateth - The Gentile Christian, who freely eats all kinds of meat; Rom 14:2. Eateth to the Lord - Because he believes that God does not forbid it; and because he desires, in doing it, to glorify God; 1Co 10:31. “To eat to the Lord,” in this case, is to do it believing that such is his will. In all other cases, it is to do it feeling that we receive our food from him; rendering thanks for his goodness, and desirous of being strengthened that we may do his commands. He giveth God thanks - This is an incidental proof that it is our duty to give God thanks at our meals for our food. It shows that it was the “practice” of the early Christians, and has the commendation of the apostle. It was, also, uniformly done by the Jews, and by the Lord Jesus; Mat 14:19; Mat 26:26; Mar 6:41; Mar 14:22; Luk 9:16; Luk 24:30. To the Lord he eateth not - He abstains from eating because he believes that God requires him to do it, and with a desire to obey and honor him. And giveth God thanks - That is, the Jew thanked God for the Law, and for the favor he had bestowed on him in giving him more light than he had the Gentiles. […]
The words behind it
26 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 |
| φρονῶν | phronon | regarding | G5426 → | 26 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέραν | hemeran | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | to [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| φρονεῖ | phronei | regards [it] | G5426 → | 26 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐσθίων | esthion | eating | G2068 → | 65 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | to [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| ἐσθίει, | esthiei | eats, | G2068 → | 65 times |
| εὐχαριστεῖ | eucharistei | he gives thanks | G2168 → | 38 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ· | theo | to God; | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐσθίων | esthion | eating | G2068 → | 65 times |
| κυρίῳ | kurio | to [the] Lord | G2962 → | 711 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἐσθίει, | esthiei | he eats, | G2068 → | 65 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εὐχαριστεῖ | eucharistei | he gives thanks | G2168 → | 38 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεῷ. | theo | to God. | G2316 → | 1312 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
φρονῶνregarding
phrononG5426 →26 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέρανday
hemeranG2250 →389 times
κυρίῳto [the] Lord
kurioG2962 →711 times
φρονεῖregards [it]
phroneiG5426 →26 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἐσθίωνeating
esthionG2068 →65 times
κυρίῳto [the] Lord
kurioG2962 →711 times
ἐσθίει,eats,
esthieiG2068 →65 times
εὐχαριστεῖhe gives thanks
eucharisteiG2168 →38 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷ·to God;
theoG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁthe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐσθίωνeating
esthionG2068 →65 times
κυρίῳto [the] Lord
kurioG2962 →711 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἐσθίει,he eats,
esthieiG2068 →65 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εὐχαριστεῖhe gives thanks
eucharisteiG2168 →38 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
θεῷ.to God.
theoG2316 →1312 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
Matthew 15:36Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
it leads to
- Acts 27:35
After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 22:19
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
- John 6:11
Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
- Acts 27:35
Through
Matthew 14:19And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and…
it leads to
- Mark 8:6–7
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And…
- 1 Samuel 9:13
As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the…
- 1 Timothy 4:4–5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,
- Luke 24:30
While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
- Mark 8:6–7
Through
Exodus 12:42Because the LORD kept a vigil that night to bring them out of the land of Egypt, this same night is to be a vigil to the LORD, to be observed by all the…
it leads to
- Exodus 12:14
And this day will be a memorial for you, and you are to celebrate it as a feast to the LORD, as a permanent statute for the generations to come.
- Exodus 12:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Romans
This page draws on 14 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); Augustine of Hippo, AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 25; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 11 -- On Abstinence; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.