Romans 14:13 Meaning and Explanation
“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Stop judging one another; resolve instead never to trip a brother into sin.
What Does Romans 14:13 Mean?
Paul makes a turn with a play on the word 'judge.' Cease passing judgment on one another, he says, and pass this judgment instead: decide firmly never to lay an obstacle in a brother's path. The verdict-making energy is redirected from condemning to protecting.
A 'stumblingblock' is anything that causes a fellow believer to trip in his walk with God. The mature believer's concern shifts from defending his rights to guarding his brother's steps. Freedom is real, but love asks a higher question than 'may I?' -- it asks 'will this help or harm the one beside me?' This single resolve reorders the whole dispute around the good of the brother rather than the assertion of the self.
Romans 14:13 in the Original Language
skandalon (σκάνδαλον), 'occasion to fall' -- a trap or snare; whatever trips another into sin.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 14:13
What does Romans 14:13 mean?
Stop judging one another; resolve instead never to trip a brother into sin.