The Meaning of Romans 14:6 Explained

Romans 14:6

KJV: He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

YLT: He who is regarding the day, to the Lord he doth regard it, and he who is not regarding the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He who is eating, to the Lord he doth eat, for he doth give thanks to God; and he who is not eating, to the Lord he doth not eat, and doth give thanks to God.

Darby: He that regards the day, regards it to the Lord. And he that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that does not eat, it is to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

ASV: He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that regardeth  the day,  regardeth  [it] unto the Lord;  and  he that regardeth  not  the day,  to the Lord  he doth  not  regard  [it]. He that eateth,  eateth  to the Lord,  for  he giveth God  thanks;  and  he that eateth  not,  to the Lord  he eateth  not,  and  giveth God  thanks. 

What does Romans 14:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The most important thing is to seek to please the Lord in all that we do. Christians will come to differing conclusions about what this means in practice, but their submission to Jesus Christ"s lordship is primary. Paul meant that one person does not eat meat and another does eat meat, but both give God thanks for what they do eat ( Romans 14:2; cf. 1 Timothy 4:4-5).

Context Summary

Romans 14:1-12 - Consideration Toward Brethren
The weak conscience needs further instruction. It is anemic and requires the hilltop, with its further view and bracing air; but in the meantime its owner must be guided by its promptings. A man must not take a certain course merely because others do so, unless he can justify their bolder faith and larger freedom. By thought and prayer and the study of God's Word, conscience becomes educated and strengthened, and ceases to worry as to whether we should be vegetarian or not; whether we should observe saints' days, or adopt a specific method of observing the Sabbath. Some people are constantly wondering and questioning about such things, as though their eternal salvation depended on minute observances.
Such would have found but scant comfort from the Apostle. He would have said, "Do the best you know, and when you have once adopted a certain method of life, follow it humbly, until some wider view is opened before you by the Spirit of God." The main principle for us all is to live and die to please our Lord. He is our Master, and it will be for Him to allot our rewards. In the meantime let us not judge one another, but live in love, leaving each to work out the plan of his own life as his Master directs. [source]

Chapter Summary: Romans 14

1  Men may not condemn one another for disputable matters;
13  but must take heed that they give no offense in them;
15  which the apostle proves unlawful by many reasons

Greek Commentary for Romans 14:6

Regardeth [προνει]
“Thinks of,” “esteems,” “observes,” “puts his mind on” (from πρην — phrēn mind). The Textus Receptus has also “he that regardeth not,” but it is not genuine. [source]
Unto the Lord [κυριωι]
Dative case. So as to τωι τεωι — tōi theōi (unto God). He eats unto the Lord, he eats not unto the Lord. Paul‘s principle of freedom in non-essentials is most important. The Jewish Christians still observed the Seventh day (the Sabbath). The Gentile Christians were observing the first day of the week in honour of Christ‘s Resurrection on that day. Paul pleads for liberty. [source]
He that regardeth not - doth not regard it []
Omit. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Romans 14:6

Romans 14:9 Might be Lord [κυριεύση]
Lit., might Lord it over. Justifying the term Lord applied to Christ in Romans 14:6, Romans 14:8. [source]
1 Corinthians 10:30 By grace [χάριτι]
Better, as Rev., in margin, with thankfulness: with an unsullied conscience, so that I can sincerely give thanks for my food. Compare Romans 14:6; 1 Timothy 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:5. [source]
1 Corinthians 10:30  []
Paul carries on the supposed objective to his principle of love. Why incur the risk of being evil spoken of ( βλασπημουμαι — blasphēmoumai ) for the sake of maintaining one‘s liberty? Is it worth it? See note on Romans 14:6 where Paul justifies the conscience of one who eats the meat and of one who does not. Saying grace over food that one should not eat seems inconsistent. We have this very word blaspheme in English. [source]
Galatians 4:10 Days []
Sabbaths, fast-days, feast-days, new moons. Comp. Romans 14:5, Romans 14:6; Colossians 2:16. [source]
Colossians 2:7 Thanksgiving [εὐχαριστίᾳ]
For Paul's emphasis on thanksgiving, see Romans 1:21; Romans 14:6; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 4:15; 2 Corinthians 9:11, 2 Corinthians 9:12; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Timothy 2:1, etc. Εὐχαριστός thankful εὐχαριστεῖν togive thanks, εὐχαριστία thanksgivingare found only in Paul's writings. [source]

What do the individual words in Romans 14:6 mean?

The [one] regarding the day to [the] Lord regards [it] And not observing to the Lord not does observe eating eats he gives thanks for - to God and not he eats
φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν Κυρίῳ φρονεῖ ⧼καὶ μὴ φρονῶν κυρίῳ οὐ φρονεῖ⧽ ἐσθίων ἐσθίει εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ οὐκ ἐσθίει

  The  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
φρονῶν  regarding 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φρονέω  
Sense: to have understanding, be wise.
ἡμέραν  day 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
Κυρίῳ  to  [the]  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
φρονεῖ  regards  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φρονέω  
Sense: to have understanding, be wise.
φρονῶν  observing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: φρονέω  
Sense: to have understanding, be wise.
κυρίῳ  to  the  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.
φρονεῖ⧽  does  observe 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φρονέω  
Sense: to have understanding, be wise.
ἐσθίων  eating 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐσθίω 
Sense: to eat.
ἐσθίει  eats 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐσθίω 
Sense: to eat.
εὐχαριστεῖ  he  gives  thanks 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εὐχαριστέω  
Sense: to be grateful, feel thankful.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεῷ  to  God 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἐσθίει  he  eats 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐσθίω 
Sense: to eat.