Romans 14:16 Meaning and Explanation
“Let not then your good be evil spoken of:”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Do not let the good liberty you enjoy be turned into something others revile.
What Does Romans 14:16 Mean?
Briefly Paul warns the free believer about reputation. The 'good' here is the genuine liberty he rightly possesses -- but liberty used without love can be spoken of as evil, dragging a true gift into disrepute.
A right thing handled in a wounding way invites slander upon the gospel itself. When freedom becomes a stumbling block, onlookers blame not the misuse but the thing misused, and even the cause of Christ is maligned. Paul therefore asks the strong to steward their liberty so that what is truly good is not turned, by carelessness, into an occasion for reproach. How we use our freedom guards or tarnishes its good name.
Romans 14:16 in the Original Language
blasphemeo (βλασφημέω), 'evil spoken of' -- to slander, to speak injuriously, to revile.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 14:16
What does Romans 14:16 mean?
Do not let the good liberty you enjoy be turned into something others revile.