Romans 14:19 (KJV)

What does Romans 14:19 mean?

Romans 14:19 calls for deliberate effort to maintain peace and help other believers grow stronger. Paul is speaking about a community in which people disagree about practices such as what food to eat.

The phrase “follow after” pictures an active pursuit rather than a passive hope. After describing what is “acceptable to God” in verse 18, Paul draws a conclusion about how the believers are to relate to one another.

The Greek behind Romans 14:19

• “follow after” — διώκω (diōkō): The word carries the sense of pursuing or pressing toward something. Here the KJV uses it for seeking an outcome with purpose.
• “edify” — οἰκοδομή (oikodomē): The word means building up, and it can refer to a building or the act of building. Paul uses that picture for the strengthening of one person by another.

Why Romans 14:19 matters

• Paul joins peace with mutual strength. The words “peace” and “edify another” stand together as the two things he says to pursue.
• The disagreement involves choices that affect other people, not just private opinions. Earlier, Paul mentions someone being “grieved” by another person’s food in verse 15.
• Paul’s concern reaches across the disagreement. The phrase “one may edify another” describes people helping each other, while the passage addresses both those who eat certain foods and those who do not.