1 Corinthians 8
8
Food Offered to Idols
1#1Co 8:7; 8:4Now as concerning food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge produces arrogance, but love edifies. 2#1Co 3:18; 13:8–9So if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3#Gal 4:9; Ex 33:12But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
4#Dt 6:4; 4:39So concerning the eating of foods that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5#2Th 2:4For there are those who are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there are many gods and many lords. 6#Jn 1:3; Mal 2:10; Ro 11:36But for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
7#Ro 14:14; 1Co 8:9–10However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat the food as a thing offered to an idol. So their weak conscience is defiled. 8#Ro 14:17But food does not commend us to God. Neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9#Gal 5:13; Ro 14:20–21; 14:1–2But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10For if anyone sees you, who have knowledge, eating in the idol’s temple, shall the conscience of him who is weak not be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols, 11#Ro 14:15; 1Co 8:13and by your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12#Mt 25:45; 18:6When you thus sin against the brothers, wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13#Ro 14:21; 2Co 11:29Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to stumble.
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Military Bible Association
1 Corinthians 8
8
Food Sacrificed to Idols
1Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.#8:3 Some manuscripts read the person who loves has full knowledge.
4So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
by whom all things were created,
and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things were created,
and through whom we live.
7However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
9But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer#8:11 Greek brother; also in 8:13. for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12And when you sin against other believers#8:12 Greek brothers. by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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