“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.”
Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, they stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. — The rhetorical shift: oikeios doulos (household servant) is answerable to their own kyrios (master), not to fellow servants. God is Lord (kyrios) of both strong and weak. Stēmi (stand) twice emphasizes steadiness before the ultimate judge. God's power (dunatos) ensures standing.
Church Fathers on Romans 14:4
“Who are you that judgest another man's servant?” Whence it appears that they too judged, and did not despise only. “To his own Master he stands or falls.” See here is another stroke. And the indignation seems to be against the strong man, and he attacks him. When he says, “Yea, he shall be holden up,” he shows that he is still wavering, and requires so much attention as to call in God as a physician for this, “for God,” he says, “is able to make him stand.” And this we say…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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