1 Corinthians 8
8
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.”#Considered by many interpreters to be a slogan used by the Corinthians to justify their behavior Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has not yet known as it is necessary to know. 3But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.
4Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world” and that “there is no God except one.”#Considered by many interpreters to be slogans used by the Corinthians to justify their behavior 5For even if after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many gods and many lords,
6yet to us there is one God, the Father,
from whom are all things, and we are for him,
and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things, and we are through him.
7But this knowledge is not in everyone. But some, being accustomed until now to the idol, eat this food as food sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, because it#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal is weak, is defiled. 8But food does not bring us close to God. For neither if we eat do we have more, nor if we do not eat do we lack.#Some manuscripts omit “For” and have “Neither if we do not eat do we lack, nor if we do eat do we have more” 9But watch out lest somehow this right of yours becomes a cause for stumbling to the weak. 10For if someone should see you who has knowledge reclining for a meal in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, because it#*Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal is weak, be strengthened so that he eats the food sacrificed to idols? 11For the one who is weak—the brother for whom Christ died—is destroyed by your knowledge. 12Now if you#*Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sin”) which is understood as conditional sin in this way against the brothers and wound their conscience, which is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat forever#Literally “for the age”, in order that I may not cause my brother to sin.
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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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