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
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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