Romans 14:20

Romans 14:20

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

a. ASV: Overthrow not for meat’s sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

  

b. YLT: For the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, are pure, but evil is to the man who is eating through stumbling.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: You must not, for the sake of food, undo and break down and destroy the work of God! Everything is indeed [ceremonially] clean and pure, but it is wrong for anyone to hurt the conscience of others or to make them fall by what he eats.

1. “For meat destroy not the work of God…”

a. For [Strong: 1752 héneka, hen'-ek-ah; of uncertain affinity; on account of:—because, for (cause, sake), (where-)fore, by reason of, that.]

b. meat [Strong: 1033  brōma, bro'-mah; from the base of G977; food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law:—meat, victuals.]

c. destroy [Strong: 2647  katalýō, kat-al-oo'-o; from G2596 and G3089; to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. (by implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specially (compare G2646) to halt for the night:—destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought, overthrow, throw down.]

d. not [Strong: 3361 mḗ, may; a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:—any but (that), × forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

e. the [Strong: 3588 ho, ho; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):—the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

  

g. work [Strong: 2041 érgon, er'-gon; from a primary (but obsolete) ἔργω érgō (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act:—deed, doing, labour, work.]

h. [of] God [Strong: 2316 theós, theh'-os; of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:—X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

2.  “...All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.”

a. All [things] [Strong: 3956 pâs, pas; including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:—all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), × daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

b. indeed [Strong: 3303 mén, men; a primary particle; properly, indicative of affirmation or concession (in fact); usually followed by a contrasted clause with G1161 (this one, the former, etc.):—even, indeed, so, some, truly, verily. Often compounded with other particles in an intensive or asseverative sense.]

c. [are] pure [Strong: 2513 katharós, kath-ar-os'; of uncertain affinity; clean (literally or figuratively):—clean, clear, pure.]

d. but [Strong: 235 allá, al-lah'; neuter plural of G243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):—and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

e. [it is] evil [Strong: 2556 kakós, kak-os'; apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically, such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects), i.e. (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious:—bad, evil, harm, ill, noisome, wicked.]

  

g. for that [Strong: 3588 ho, ho; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):—the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

h. man [Strong: 444 ánthrōpos, anth'-ro-pos; from G435 and ὤψ ṓps (the countenance; from G3700); man-faced, i.e. a human being:—certain, man.]

i. [who] eateth [Strong: 2068 esthíō, es-thee'-o; strengthened for a primary ἔδω édō (to eat); used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by G5315; to eat (usually literal):—devour, eat, live.]

  

j. with [Strong: 1223 diá, dee-ah'; a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal, or occasional):—after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) … fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, × though, through(-out), to, wherefore, with (-in).]

i. offence [Strong: 4348 próskomma, pros'-kom-mah; from G4350; a stub, i.e. (figuratively) occasion of apostasy:—offence, stumbling(-block, (-stone)).]