Part 1331

Romans Chapter 13

Lessons of obedience to superiors and mutual charity.

13:1. Let every soul be subject to higher powers. For there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God.

13:2. Therefore, he that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist purchase to themselves damnation.

13:3. For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same.

13:4. For he is God’s minister to thee, for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is God’s minister: an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil.

13:5. Wherefore be subject of necessity: not only for wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.

13:6. For therefore also you pay tribute. For they are the ministers of God, serving unto this purpose.

13:7. Render therefore to all men their dues. Tribute, to whom tribute is due: custom, to whom custom: fear, to whom fear: honour, to whom honour.

13:8. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another. For he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law.

13:9. For: Thou shalt not commit adultery: Thou shalt not kill: Thou shalt not steal: Thou shalt not bear false witness: Thou shalt not covet. And if there be any other commandment, it is comprised in this word: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

13:10. The love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love therefore is the fulfilling of the law.

13:11. And that, knowing the season, that it is now the hour for us to rise from sleep. For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed.

13:12. The night is passed And the day is at hand. Let us, therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light.

13:13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day: not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and impurities, not in contention and envy.

13:14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ: and make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences.

Romans Chapter 14

The strong must bear with the weak. Cautions against judging and giving scandal.

14:1. Now him that is weak in faith, take unto you: not in disputes about thoughts.

14:2. For one believeth that he may eat all things: but he that is weak, let him eat herbs.

Eat all things.... Viz., without observing the distinction of clean and unclean meats, prescribed by the law of Moses: which was now no longer obligatory. Some weak Christians, converted from among the Jews, as we here gather from the apostle, made a scruple of eating such meats as were deemed unclean by the law; such as swine’s flesh, etc., which the stronger sort of Christians did eat without scruple. Now the apostle, to reconcile them together, exhorts the former not to judge or condemn the latter, using their Christian liberty; and the latter, to take care not to despise or scandalize their weaker brethren, either by bringing them to eat what in their conscience they think they should not, or by giving them such offence, as to endanger the driving them thereby from the Christian religion.

14:3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not: and he that eateth not, let him not judge him that eateth. For God hath taken him to him.

14:4. Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? To his own lord he standeth or falleth. And he shall stand: for God is able to make him stand.

14:5. For one judgeth between day and day: and another judgeth every day. Let every man abound in his own sense.

Between day, etc.... Still observing the sabbaths and festivals of the law.

14:6. He that regardeth the day regardeth it unto the Lord. And he that eateth eateth to the Lord: for he giveth thanks to God. And he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not and giveth thanks to God.

14:7. For none of us liveth to himself: and no man dieth to himself.

14:8. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord: or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.