1 Corinthians 8
8
About Food Offered to Idols
1Now I will write about meat that is sacrificed#8:1 sacrificed Killed and offered as a gift to show worship. Also in verse 10. to idols. It is certainly true that “we all have knowledge,” as you say. But this knowledge only fills people with pride. It is love that helps the church grow stronger. 2Those who think they know something do not yet know anything as they should. 3But whoever loves God is known by God.
4So this is what I say about eating meat: We know that an idol is really nothing in the world, and we know that there is only one God. 5It’s really not important if there are things called gods in heaven or on earth—and there are many of these “gods” and “lords” out there. 6For us there is only one God, and 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 him, and we also have life through him.
7But not all people know this. Some 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. So when they eat it, they feel guilty. 8But food will not bring us closer to God. Refusing to eat does not make us less pleasing to God, and eating does not make us closer to him.
9But be careful with your freedom. Your freedom to eat anything may make those who have doubts about what they can eat fall into sin. 10You understand that it’s all right to eat anything, so you can eat even in an idol’s temple. But someone who has doubts might see you eating there, and this might encourage them to eat meat sacrificed to idols too. But they really think it is wrong. 11So this weak brother or sister—someone Christ died for—is lost because of your better understanding. 12When you sin against your brothers and sisters in Christ in this way and you hurt them by causing them to do things they feel are wrong, you are also sinning against Christ. 13So if the food I eat makes another believer fall into sin, I will never eat meat again. I will stop eating meat, so that I will not make my brother or sister sin.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
1 Corinthians 8
8
Advice about Food Offered to False Gods
1Now, concerning food offered to false gods: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds them up. 2Those who think they know something still have a lot to learn. 3But if they love God, they are known by God.
4Now about eating food that was offered to false gods: We know that the false gods in this world don’t really exist and that no god exists except the one God. 5People may say that there are gods in heaven and on earth—many gods and many lords, as they would call them. 6But for us,
“There is only one God, the Father.
Everything came from him, and we live for him.
There is only one Lord, Jesus Christ.
Everything came into being through him,
and we live because of him.”
7But not everyone knows this. Some people are so used to worshiping false gods that they believe they are eating food offered to a false god. So they feel guilty because their conscience is weak.
8Food will not affect our relationship with God. We are no worse off if we eat ⌞that food⌟ and no better off if we don’t. 9But be careful that by using your freedom you don’t somehow make a believer who is weak in faith fall into sin. 10For example, suppose someone with a weak conscience sees you, who have this knowledge, eating in the temple of a false god. Won’t you be encouraging that person to eat food offered to a false god? 11In that case, your knowledge is ruining a believer whose faith is weak, a believer for whom Christ died. 12When you sin against other believers in this way and harm their weak consciences, you are sinning against Christ.
13Therefore, if eating food ⌞offered to false gods⌟ causes other believers to lose their faith, I will never eat that kind of food so that I won’t make other believers lose their faith.
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