1 Corinthians 8
8
Love Is Greater Than Knowledge
1Now let me address the issue of food offered in sacrifice to idols. It seems that everyone believes his own opinion is right on this matter. # 8:1 Or “we all have knowledge.” How easily we get puffed up over our opinions! But love builds up the structure of our new life. # 8:1 That is, knowledge may make a person look important, but it is only through love that we reach our full maturity. It is simply “Love builds up.” It builds up our lives, our churches, our families, and others. Love is the most powerful substance for building what will last forever. 2If anyone thinks of himself as a know-it-all, he still has a lot to learn. 3But if a person passionately loves God, he will possess the knowledge of God. # 8:3 Explicit in the Aramaic and implied in the Greek, which can also be translated, “is known [acknowledged] by God.”
4Concerning food sacrificed as offerings to idols, we all know that an idol is nothing, for there is no God but one. # 8:4 See Deut. 6:4. 5Although there may be many so-called gods in this world, and in heaven there may be many “gods,” “lords,” and “masters,” 6yet for us there is only one God—the Father. Out of him is all things, and our lives are lived for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus, the Anointed One, through whom we and all things exist.
7But not everyone has this revelation. For some were formerly idolaters, who consider idols as real and living. That’s why they consider the food offered to that “god” as defiled. And their weak consciences become defiled if they eat it. 8Yes, we know that what you eat will not bring you closer to God. You are no better if you don’t eat certain foods and no better if you do. 9But you must be careful that the liberty you exercise in eating food offered to idols doesn’t offend the weak believers. 10For if a believer with a weak conscience sees you, who have a greater understanding, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t this be a temptation to him to violate his own conscience # 8:10 Or “have his conscience built up.” Ironically, this is the same Greek word Paul used in v. 1 for love “builds up.” The implication is that the weak believer will be emboldened to violate his conscience by watching a more mature believer freely eating food offered to idols. and eat food offered to idols? 11So, in effect, by exercising your understanding of freedom, you have ruined this weak believer, # 8:11 This is because the “freedom” of the mature could lead the immature believer back into what he feels is idol worship. a brother for whom Christ has died! 12And when you offend weaker believers by wounding their consciences in this way, you also offend # 8:12 That is, “They bring an offense against the teachings of Christ,” as translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “When you sin against a weaker believer . . . you also sin against Christ.” the Anointed One!
13So I conclude that if my eating certain food deeply offends # 8:13 The Greek word skandalizō (from which we get our English word scandal) means “to throw a snare in front of someone purposely to trip them up.” my brother and hinders his advance in Christ, I will never eat it again. I don’t want to be guilty of causing my brother or sister to be wounded and defeated.
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Learn More About The Passion Translation1 Corinthians 8
8
1But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2If any one think he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. 3But if any one love God, he is known of him):
4— concerning then the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God save one. 5For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,) 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
7But knowledge is not in all: but some, with conscience of the idol, until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to idols; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage. 9But see lest anywise this your right to eat itself be a stumbling-block to the weak. 10For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at table in an idol-house, shall not his conscience, he being weak, be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to the idol? 11and the weak one, the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge. 12Now, thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13Wherefore if meat be a fall-trap to my brother, I will eat no flesh for ever, that I may not be a fall-trap to my brother.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.