Romans 14:4 Meaning and Explanation
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Each believer is God's servant, answerable to his own Master, and God is able to hold him up.
What Does Romans 14:4 Mean?
Paul presses the question with a household image. A servant answers to his own master, not to a neighbor's opinion. To pass sentence on another believer is to intrude on a relationship that belongs to God alone, as if one had authority over a servant who is not one's own.
The verse turns from rebuke to assurance. The brother will not finally collapse under our scorn, 'for God is able to make him stand.' The standing of the weak does not rest on the approval of the strong, but on the upholding power of the Lord. This frees us to stop policing one another and to trust that the same God who received each servant will also keep him.
Romans 14:4 in the Original Language
histemi (ἵστημι), 'make stand' -- to set firmly upright, to hold up so one does not fall.
Frequently Asked Questions About Romans 14:4
What does Romans 14:4 mean?
Each believer is God's servant, answerable to his own Master, and God is able to hold him up.