Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is pointing out that judging another believer isn't about your master or your rules, but their master's. The focus isn't on whether they'll be condemned or approved in a final judgment, but on whether God, their Master, is able to sustain them in their present walk of faith.
Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing divisions within the early church, specifically concerning disagreements over practices like dietary laws and observance of special days. He's emphasizing that Christians should accept one another despite these differences, rather than judging or looking down on each other, because ultimate accountability is to God, not to fellow believers. This verse challenges the idea that one believer has the right to condemn another's choices, reminding them that each person stands before their own Master, Christ, who is perfectly capable of sustaining them.
Ever felt like you know what's best for someone else in their faith walk? Paul cuts right to the heart of it here, challenging our tendency to play judge.
Paul's question, 'Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?' is a powerful reminder that we aren't God. We don't have the full picture of someone's relationship with Him.
When we see someone struggling or holding different convictions, it's easy to think they're on the verge of spiritual collapse. But Paul offers a reassuring truth.
The latter part of the verse provides immense comfort and perspective, shifting our focus from human judgment to divine power.
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Understand the original words
oiketēs · Greek Noun
A person who is owned by, under the authority of, and dedicated to the service of a superior; in theology, it highlights the believer's total belonging to God.
histēmi · Greek Verb
To uphold, confirm, or cause to stand; biblically, it refers to God’s preserving power in the life of the believer to ensure they remain faithful.
Paul addresses divisions within the Roman church, likely between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, regarding practices like dietary laws and observance of specific days, urging mutual respect and understanding under Christ's ultimate authority.
c. 20-22 AD
Pilate's Rule in Judea
Pontius Pilate begins his governorship of Judea, a period marked by tensions between Roman rule and Jewish customs.
c. 30-33 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Christ is crucified in Jerusalem, an event central to the Christian faith and the subsequent spread of the Gospel.
c. 35 AD
Saul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus
Saul, a persecutor of Christians, is dramatically converted and becomes the Apostle Paul, a key figure in early Christianity.
c. 49 AD
Council of Jerusalem
The early Church leaders debate whether Gentile converts must follow Jewish law, ultimately deciding in favor of freedom from strict observance.
c. 57 AD— this verse
Paul writes Romans from Corinth
The Apostle Paul pens his letter to the church in Rome, likely during a three-month stay in Corinth, addressing key theological issues.
c. 64 AD
Great Fire of Rome
A devastating fire sweeps through Rome, leading to persecution of Christians under Emperor Nero, who falsely blamed them for the disaster.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Romans 14:4 by warning against judging others, reminding us that the way we judge will be the way we are judged.
Luke 12:42-48Jesus speaks about the responsibility of servants to their master, illustrating that each servant is accountable to their own master for their actions, similar to how Paul emphasizes accountability to Christ.
1 Corinthians 4:3-5Paul directly addresses the issue of human judgment within the church, stating that it is a trivial matter to be judged by others and that we should wait until the Lord comes to judge us.
Galatians 5:13While Romans 14 deals with differences in practice, Galatians 5:13 calls believers to serve one another in love, suggesting that rather than judging, our energy should be poured into mutual service.
ellicottRomans 14:4: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand."
(4) Who art thou? —This is addressed to the weak. The Apostle indignantly challenges his right to judge. That right belongs to another tribunal, before which the conduct of the stronger Christian will not be condemned but approved and upheld. He standeth or falleth.—It seems most in accordance with what precedes to take this of…
pulpitRomans 14:4: "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand."
Verse 4. - Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? (observe the emphatic position of σὺ) to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand: for the Lord (better supported than God, as in the Textus Receptus) is able (or, has power) to make him stand. The standing or falling here spoken of may be tak…
Paul is pointing out that judging another believer isn't about your master or your rules, but their master's. The focus isn't on whether they'll be condemned or approved in a final judgment, but on whether God, their Master, is able to sustain them in their present walk of faith.
Paul is addressing divisions within the early church, specifically concerning disagreements over practices like dietary laws and observance of special days. He's emphasizing that Christians should accept one another despite these differences, rather than judging or looking down on each other, because ultimate accountability is to God, not to fellow believers. This verse challenges the idea that one believer has the right to condemn another's choices, reminding them that each person stands before their own Master, Christ, who is perfectly capable of sustaining them.
Paul is addressing divisions within the early church, specifically concerning disagreements over practices like dietary laws and observance of special days. He's emphasizing that Christians should accept one another despite these differences, rather than judging or looking down on each other, because ultimate accountability is to God, not to fellow believers. This verse challenges the idea that one believer has the right to condemn another's choices, reminding them that each person stands before their own Master, Christ, who is perfectly capable of sustaining them.
"Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." — Paul is pointing out that judging another believer isn't about your master or your rules, but their master's. The focus isn't on whether they'll be condemned or approved in a final judgment, bu…
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Last reviewed October 2026