The right thing to do is literally “it is good.” In Greek there is a play on words between the last part of verse 21 (kakon “it is bad”) and the first part of this verse (kalon “it is good”). “Good” in such a context describes that which is proper for the circumstances.

In order to relate the right thing to do to the three specific prohibitions, one may in some languages introduce the idea of correctness and follow this with imperatives—for example, “this is what is right: keep from eating meat, do not drink wine, or do not do anything else that will make your brother fall.”

Eating meat and drinking wine translates aorist infinitives in Greek, and some take these as a reference to eating and drinking on specific occasions rather than as a general rule of life. They contend that in those situations where eating meat or drinking wine may cause one’s brother to fall into sin, the right thing to do is to keep from eating meat or drinking wine; but since these two things are not wrong in themselves, they may be participated in on other occasions without danger of causing someone else to fall.

As noted in verse 13, make your brother fall may be translated as “cause your fellow believer to sin.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1973. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .