One person values one day over another, another values every day the same. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.
Parallel translations
- WEB One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
- KJV One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
- BSB One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
- NKJV One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
- NLT In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
On observing special days, believers held differing convictions, and Paul says each should be fully persuaded in his own mind. Conscience on disputable matters should be settled before God, not coerced.
Overview
Some, likely with Jewish background, esteemed certain days as sacred; others regarded all days alike. Rather than legislate, Paul calls each believer to act from settled conviction. This is not indifference to truth but recognition that these are matters of Christian liberty. Genuine obedience flows from conscience persuaded before God, not from mere outward conformity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Col 2:16–17Let no one therefore judge you in eating, or in drinking, or with respect to a feast day or a new moon or a Sabbath day,
- Gal 4:9–10But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, why do you turn back again to the weak and miserable elemental principles, to which you desire to be in bondage all over again?
- Rom 14:23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
- 1 Cor 8:7However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
- 1 Jn 3:19–21And by this we know that we are of the truth, and persuade our hearts before him,
- Rom 14:14I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
- 1 Cor 8:11And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Paul unfolds the gospel in full: Christ our righteousness received by faith, the second Adam in whom many are made righteous, in whose death and resurrection we are buried and raised.
How Romans 14:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.