1 Corinthians 8
8
1 Now concerning those things that are sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up.
2 But if anyone considers himself to know anything, he does not yet know in the way that he ought to know.
3 For if anyone loves God, he is known by him.
4 But as to the foods that are immolated to idols, we know that an idol in the world is nothing, and that no one is God, except One.
5 For although there are things that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (if one even considers there to be many gods and many lords)
6 yet we know that there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things are, and in whom we are, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and by whom we are.
7 But knowledge is not in everyone. For some persons, even now, with consent to an idol, eat what has been sacrificed to an idol. And their conscience, being infirm, becomes polluted.
8 Yet food does not commend us to God. For if we eat, we will not have more, and if we do not eat, we will not have less.
9 But be careful not to let your liberty become a cause of sin to those who are weak.
10 For if anyone sees someone with knowledge sitting down to eat in idolatry, will not his own conscience, being infirm, be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?
11 And should an infirm brother perish by your knowledge, even though Christ died for him?
12 So when you sin in this way against the brothers, and you harm their weakened conscience, then you sin against Christ.
13 Because of this, if food leads my brother to sin, I will never eat meat, lest I lead my brother to sin.
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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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