1 Corinthians 8
8
Food Offered to Idols
1Now about food sacrificed to idols:#Ac 15:29; 21:25; 1Co 10:19; Rv 2:14,20 We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up,#1Co 4:6 but love#1Co 13:1–13 builds up. 2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.#1Co 3:18; 13:8–12; 1Tm 6:4 3But if anyone loves God,#Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27 he is known#Pr 2:6 by him.
4About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,”#8:4 Or an idol has no real existence and that “there is no God but one.”#Dt 6:4 5For even if there are so-called gods,#2Th 2:4 whether in heaven or on earth — as there are many “gods” and many “lords” — 6yet for us there is one God, the Father.#Mt 5:16; 11:27; Lk 11:13; Jn 8:42; Eph 5:20 All things are from him,#Ps 104:24; Col 1:16; Rv 3:14 and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.#Jn 1:3
7However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8Food will not bring us close to God.#8:8 Or bring us before (the judgment seat of) God We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.#Rm 14:17 9But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block#Ex 23:33; Rm 14:20 to the weak. 10For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged#8:10 Or built up to eat food offered to idols? 11So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died,#Jn 11:51; Rm 5:6,8; 8:34; 14:9,15; 1Co 15:3; Gl 2:21; Eph 5:2; 1Th 5:10 is ruined#8:11 Or destroyed#Heb 6:8 by your knowledge.#Mt 25:45 12Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat,#Dt 12:15 so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
1 Corinthians 8
8
Food Sacrificed to Statues of Gods
1Now I want to deal with food 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 is what I say about eating food sacrificed to statues of gods. We know that “a god made by human hands is really 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. He is the Father. All things came from him, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. All things came because of him, and we live because of him.
7But not everyone knows this. Some people still think that statues of gods are real gods. They might eat food sacrificed to statues of gods. When they do, they think of it as food sacrificed to real gods. And because those people have a weak sense of what is right and wrong, they feel guilty. 8But food doesn’t bring us close to God. We are no worse if we don’t eat. We are no better if we do eat.
9But be careful how you use your rights. Be sure you don’t cause someone weaker than you to fall into sin. 10Suppose you, with all your knowledge, are eating in a temple of one of those gods. And suppose someone who has a weak sense of what is right and wrong sees you. Won’t that person become bold and eat what is sacrificed to statues of gods? 11If so, then your knowledge destroys that weak brother or sister for whom Christ died. 12Suppose you sin against them in this way. Then you harm their weak sense of what is right and wrong. By doing this, you sin against Christ. 13So suppose what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin. Then what should I do? I will never eat meat again. In that way, I will not cause them to fall.
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