Romans 14:7
in Romans 14For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself.
KJV
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
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This verse in Romans 14
Commentary
9 notes on this verseFor none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself; whether therefore we live, we live to the Lord; or whether we die, we die to the Lord. Whether therefore we live, or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died and lived, that he might have dominion over both the dead and the living.
This site's exposition
none of us lives to himself alone
on Romans 14:7-9
Living and dying both belong to the Lord, so no believer owns either one. Christ died and returned to life to be Lord over both the dead and the living. The question of eating sits inside that ownership.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A man would be living for himself if he did not act according to the law. But whoever is controlled by the brake of the law is not living for himself but for God, who gave the law so that it might be possible to …
"For none of us liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord," by this too he makes the same clearer. For how can he that liveth unto the Law, be living unto Christ? But this is not the only thing that he effects by this, he also holds back the person who was in so much haste for their being set right, and persuades him to be patient, by showing that it is impossible for God to despise them, but that in due time He will set them right. What is the force then of "none of us liveth to himself?" It means, We are not free, we have a Master who also would have us live, and willeth not that we die, and to whom both of these are of more interest than to us. For by what is here said he shows that he hath a greater concern for us than we have ourselves, and considereth more than we do, as well our life to be wealth, as our death to be a loss. For we do not die to ourselves alone, but to our Master also, if we do die. But by death here he means that from the faith. However, this were enough to convince us that He taketh care for us, in that it is to Him we live, and to Him we die. Still he is not satisfied with saying this, but proceeds further. For after saying, "Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's," and passing from that death to the physical one, that he may not give an appearance of harshness to his language, he gives another very great indication of His care for us. Now of what kind is this?
The Medieval Church2 voices
Then when he says, for none of us lives to himself, he proves the same thing from the intention of believers. First, he rejects an inordinate intention, saying: I am correct in saying that everyone stands or falls before his master, for none of us …
We have, he says, a Lord Who cares for us and Who considers our life a gain and our death a loss. For we live or die not for ourselves alone, but also for the Lord. By life he means here the life in faith, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For none of us liveth to himself,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For none of us ... - Whether by nature Jews or Gentiles. In the great principles of religion we are now united. Where there was evidence of a sincere desire to do the will of God there should be charitable feeling, through there was difference of opinion and judgment in many smaller matters. The meaning of the expression is, that no Christian lives to gratify his own inclinations or appetites.
None of us liveth to himself - The Greek writers use the phrase, ἑαυτῳ ζῃν, to signify acting according to one’s own judgment, following one’s own opinion. Christians must act in all things according to the mind and will of God, and not follow their own wills. The apostle seems to intimate that in all the above cases each must endeavor to please God, for he is accountable to him alone for his conduct in these indifferent things. God is our master, we must live to him, as we live under his notice and by his bounty; and when we cease to live among men, we are still in his hand. Therefore, what we do, or what we leave undone, should be in reference to that eternity which is ever at hand.
The words behind it
9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὐδεὶς | oudeis | No [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἑαυτῷ | he'auto | to himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ζῇ | zea | lives | G2198 → | 139 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οὐδεὶς | oudeis | no [one] | G3762 → | 232 times |
| ἑαυτῷ | he'auto | to himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| ἀποθνῄσκει. | apothneskei | dies. | G599 → | 110 times |
οὐδεὶςNo [one]
oudeisG3762 →232 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἑαυτῷto himself
he'autoG1438 →322 times
ζῇlives
zeaG2198 →139 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οὐδεὶςno [one]
oudeisG3762 →232 times
ἑαυτῷto himself
he'autoG1438 →322 times
ἀποθνῄσκει.dies.
apothneskeiG599 →110 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
2 Corinthians 5:15And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again.
it leads to
- Romans 14:7–9
For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone.
- 1 Peter 4:2–4
Consequently, he does not live out his remaining time on earth for human passions, but for the will of God.
- 1 Peter 1:14–15
As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
- Colossians 3:1
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
- Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Romans 14:7–9
Through
Titus 2:14He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
- 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.
- Hebrews 9:14
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 Epistle to the Romans; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Romans 25; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Romans and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Romans.