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 Offered to Idols
1About food offered to idols: # Ac 15:29; 21:25; 1Co 10:19; Rv 2:14,20 We know that “we all have knowledge.” # See note at 1Co 6:12-13. Knowledge inflates with pride, # 1Co 4:6 but love # 1Co 13:1-13 builds up. 2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. # 1Co 3:18; 13:8-12; 1Tm 6:4 3But if anyone loves God, # Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27 he is known # Pr 2:6 by Him.
4About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” # Dt 6:4 5For even if there are so-called gods, # 2Th 2:4 whether in heaven or on earth — as there are many “gods” and many “lords” —
6yet for us there is one God, the Father. # Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; Eph 5:20
All things are from Him, # Ps 104:24; Col 1:16; Rv 3:14
and we exist for Him.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.
All things are through Him,
and we exist through Him. # Jn 1:3
7However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. # Rm 14:17 9But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block # Ex 23:33; Rm 14:20 to the weak. 10For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, # Jn 11:51; Rm 5:6,8; 8:34; 14:9,15; 1Co 15:3; Gl 2:21; Eph 5:2; 1Th 5:10 is ruined # Or destroyed # Heb 6:8 by your knowledge. # Mt 25:45 12Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, # Dt 12:15 so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.
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