Bible Strands
Romans 14:13
Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Roman believers, positioning this command between his statement that each will give an account to God (Romans 14:12) and his teaching on personal conscience regarding food (Romans 14:14). He responds to disputes over secondary matters by redirecting the community's focus from personal rights to mutual accountability.
The words — κρίνωμεν (krinōmen) = "judge" and κρίνατε (krinate) = "determine" anchor the verse's structure. The text first commands the cessation of mutual judgment before issuing a positive directive to deliberately resolve a specific course of conduct.
The thread — The concern for avoiding harm to others' faith runs through 1 Corinthians 8:9 and 2 Corinthians 6:3, while the prohibition against judging a sibling is reiterated in James 4:11. These passages collectively establish a pattern of restraint when exercising liberty.
Why it lands — The text commands believers to cease judging one another and to actively decide against placing obstacles in a fellow Christian's path. It requires practical self-restriction in personal matters to preserve the spiritual standing of others.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- James 4:11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it.
- Luke 17:2 It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
- Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
- Romans 14:10 Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
- James 2:4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
- Isaiah 57:14 And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
- Luke 12:57 And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?
- Matthew 7:1 “Do not judge, or you will be judged.