1 Corinthians 8
8
Food Offered to Idols
1Now concerning#8:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians’ letter; see 7:1 #ver. 4, 7, 10; See Acts 15:29 food offered to idols: we know that #See Rom. 15:14 “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” #Rom. 14:3 puffs up, #ch. 13:4-13but love builds up. 2#Gal. 6:3; [ch. 3:18] If anyone imagines that he knows something, #[ch. 13:8, 9, 12; 1 Tim. 6:3, 4]he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, #Gal. 4:9; [Ex. 33:12, 17; Jer. 1:5; Nah. 1:7; 2 Tim. 2:19]he is known by God.#8:3 Greek him
4Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that #ch. 10:19; Isa. 41:24; [Acts 14:15] “an idol has no real existence,” and that #ver. 6; See Deut. 4:35, 39“there is no God but one.” 5For although there may be #2 Thess. 2:4so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6yet #ver. 4; Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6 for us there is one God, the Father, #See Rom. 11:36 from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and #Eph. 4:5; [ch. 1:2; 1 Tim. 2:5]; See John 13:13 one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and #John 1:3; Col. 1:16through whom we exist.
7However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, #[Rom. 14:14, 22, 23] through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and #ch. 10:25, 28, 29their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8#Rom. 14:17Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9But take care #[ch. 10:23; Rom. 14:21; Gal. 5:13] that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block #Rom. 14:1, 2to the weak. 10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating#8:10 Greek reclining at table in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged,#8:10 Or fortified; Greek built up if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11And so by your knowledge this weak person is #Rom. 14:15, 20destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against your brothers#8:12 Or brothers and sisters and #[Zech. 2:8; Matt. 18:6] wounding their conscience when it is weak, #[Matt. 25:45]you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, #Rom. 14:13, 21; [2 Cor. 6:3; 11:29]if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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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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