1 Corinthians 8
8
About Food Offered to Idols
1Now I will write about meat that is sacrificed to idols. We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs you up with pride, but love builds up. 2Whoever thinks he knows something does not yet know anything as he should. 3But he who loves God is known by God.
4So this is what I say about eating meat sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is really nothing in the world. And we know that there is only one God. 5It is really not important if there are things called gods, in heaven or on earth. (And there are many things that people call “gods” and “lords.”) 6But for us there is only one God. He is our Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord—Jesus Christ. All things were made through Jesus, and we also have life through him.
7But not all people know this. Until now, some people have had the habit of worshiping idols. So now when they eat meat, they still feel as if it belongs to an idol. They are not sure that it is right to eat this meat. When they eat it, they feel guilty. 8But food will not make us closer to God. Refusing to eat does not make us less pleasing to God. And eating does not make us better in God’s sight.
9But be careful with your freedom. Your freedom may cause those who are weak in faith to fall into sin. 10Suppose one of you who has knowledge eats in an idol’s temple.# Building where a false god is worshiped. Someone who is weak in faith might see you eating there. This would encourage him to eat meat sacrificed to idols. But he really thinks it is wrong. 11So this weak brother is ruined because of your “knowledge.” And Christ died for this brother. 12When you sin against your brothers in Christ like this and cause them to do what they feel is wrong, you are also sinning against Christ. 13So if the food I eat makes my brother fall into sin, I will never eat meat again. I will stop eating meat, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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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