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
Take Care with Your Liberty
1Now about food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge [concerning this]. Knowledge [alone] makes [people self-righteously] arrogant, but love [that unselfishly seeks the best for others] builds up and encourages others to grow [in wisdom]. 2If anyone imagines that he knows and understands anything [of divine matters, without love], he has not yet known as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God [with awe-filled reverence, obedience and gratitude], he is known by Him [as His very own and is greatly loved].
4In this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world [it has no real existence], and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, #Lit from whom are all things.who is the source of all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things [that have been created], and we [believers exist and have life and have been redeemed] through Him.
7However, not all [believers] have this knowledge. But some, being accustomed [throughout their lives] to [thinking of] the idol until now [as real and living], still eat food #In Paul’s viewpoint, meat sold at the market place (even if it had been used in idol worship) was permissible food because a pagan sacrifice was meaningless, and the meat itself could not be contaminated by any such ritual (cf Mark 7:19). Some who had accepted Christ worried that they were violating their new faith if they ate any meat without knowing its origin first-hand.as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and because their conscience is weak, it is defiled (guilty, ashamed). 8Now food will not commend us to God nor bring us close to Him; we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better if we do eat. 9Only be careful that this liberty of yours [this power to choose] does not somehow become a stumbling block [that is, a temptation to sin] to the weak [in conscience]. 10For if someone sees you, a person having #I.e. the knowledge that no harm can come from eating the meat, since in reality the sacrifice is meaningless (see note v 7).knowledge, #Lit reclining, i.e. the position in which people dined.eating in an idol’s temple, then if he is weak, will he not be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to idols [and violate his own convictions]? 11For through your knowledge (spiritual maturity) this weak man is ruined [that is, he suffers in his spiritual life], the brother for whom Christ died. 12And when you sin against the brothers and sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience [by confusing them], you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if [my eating a certain] food causes my brother to stumble (sin), I will not eat [such] meat ever again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
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