Romans 14 · Verse 16

Romans 14:16

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Romans 14:16, King James Version

Romans 14:16 in other translations

BSBDo not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil.
WEBThen don’t let your good be slandered,
ASVLet not then your good be evil spoken of:
YLTLet not, then, your good be evil spoken of,
DARBYLet not then your good be evil spoken of;
BBELet it not be possible for men to say evil about your good:
WebsterLet not then your good be evil spoken of:

What does Romans 14:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Romans 14:16-17
16-17. Let not then your good--that is, this liberty of yours as to Jewish meats and days, well founded though it be. be evil spoken of--for the evil it does to others.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. Let not then your good, etc. That which you esteem to be right, and which may be right in itself. You are not bound by the ceremonial law. You are free from the yoke of bondage. This freedom you esteem to be a good--a favour--a high privilege. And so it is; but you should not make such a use of it as to do injury to others.

Be evil spoken of. Greek, Be blasphemed. Do not so use your Christian liberty as to give occasion for railing and unkind remarks from your brethren, so as to produce contention and strife, and thus to give rise to evil reports among the wicked about the tendency of the Christian religion, as if it were adapted only to promote controversy. How much strife would have been avoided if all Christians had regarded this plain rule. In relation to dress, and rites, and ceremonies in the church, we may be conscious that we are right; but an obstinate adherence to them may only give rise to contention and angry discussion, and to evil reports among men, of the tendency of religion. In such a case we should yield our private, unimportant, personal indulgence to the good of the cause of religion and of peace.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of - Do not make such a use of your Christian liberty as to subject the Gospel itself to reproach. Whatsoever you do, do it in such a manner, spirit, and time, as to make it productive of the greatest possible good. There are many who have such an unhappy method of doing their good acts, as not only to do little or no good by them, but a great deal of evil. It requires much prudence and watchfulness to find out the proper time of performing even a good action.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Romans 14:14-18

Christ deals gently with those who have true grace, though they are weak in it. Consider the design of Christ's death: also that drawing a soul to sin, threatens the destruction of that soul. Did Christ deny himself for our brethren, so as to die for them, and shall not we deny ourselves for them, so as to keep from any indulgence? We cannot hinder ungoverned tongues from speaking evil; but we must not give them any…

Read the full comment on Romans 14:14-18 →

Romans 14:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

μὴmēNotG3361
βλασφημείσθωblasphēmeisthōshould be denigratedG987
οὖνounthereforeG3767
ὑμῶνhumōnyourG4771
τὸto<the>G3588
ἀγαθόν.agathongood.G18

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Romans 14:16

  • 1 Corinthians 10:29-30

    Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

  • Romans 12:17

    Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:22

    Abstain from all appearance of evil.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:20-21

    Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
12:17; 1Co 10:29,30; 2Co 8:20,21; 1Th 5:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Romans 14:15

    But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

  • Romans 14:16

    Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

  • Romans 14:17

    For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Read all of Romans 14

Romans 14:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		No sea pues blasfemado vuestro bien:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Que ce qui est bien en vous ne soit donc pas blâmé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Laßt nun euer Gut nicht verlästert werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Non ergo blasphemetur bonum nostrum.