Romans 14:19 Meaning and Explanation
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Pursue what builds peace and what builds up fellow believers.
What Does Romans 14:19 Mean?
Paul gathers the chapter's aim into a single charge. 'Follow after' is the language of pursuit, even of chasing -- believers are to go after peace deliberately, not merely avoid conflict when it happens to arise.
Two goals are named: the things that make for peace, and the things by which we build one another up. Edification is construction; it asks whether a word or act adds strength to a brother's faith or chips away at it. The strong are not told to abandon their liberty but to aim it -- to spend it on raising others rather than tearing them down. A church that pursues peace and mutual building has found the better use of every freedom.
Romans 14:19 in the Original Language
oikodome (οἰκοδομή), 'edify' -- building up; the constructive strengthening of another's faith.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 14:19
What does Romans 14:19 mean?
Pursue what builds peace and what builds up fellow believers.