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1 Corinthians 8

8
The Question About Food Sacrificed to Idols
1Now I’d like to talk about food that has been sacrificed to statues of gods. We know that “We all have knowledge.” But knowledge makes people proud, while love builds them up. 2Those who think they know something still don’t know as they should. 3But whoever loves God is known by God.
4So then, here’s what I say about eating food sacrificed to idols. We know that “an idol really is nothing at all in the world.” We know that “there is only one God.” 5There may be so-called gods either in heaven or on earth. In fact, there are many “gods” and many “lords.” 6But for us there is only one God, the Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things came through him and we live through him.
7But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food, they think of it as having been sacrificed to real gods. And because their conscience is weak, they feel guilty. 8Eating sacrificial food doesn’t prove how close to God we are. We aren’t any worse off if we don’t eat it, and we aren’t any better off if we do.
9So be careful how you use your rights. Make sure you don’t cause someone who’s weaker than you to fall into sin. 10Suppose that you, with all of your knowledge, are eating in a temple of one of those gods. And suppose someone whose conscience is weak sees you. Won’t that person think it’s okay to eat food sacrificed to honor “gods” and be encouraged to do so? 11If that happens, then your knowledge will destroy that weaker brother or sister Christ died for. 12If you sin against them that way and wound their weak conscience, you’re actually sinning against Christ. 13So if eating food sacrificed to idols would cause my brother or sister to fall into sin, I’ll never eat that food again. That way, I won’t ever cause them to fall.

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1 Corinthians 8: RAD

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