1 Corinthians 8
8
Meat sacrificed to false gods
1Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up. 2If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know. 3But if someone loves God, then they are known by God.
4So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God. 5Granted, there are so-called “gods,” in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords. 6However, for us believers,
There is one God the Father.
All things come from him, and we belong to him.
And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
All things exist through him, and we live through him.
7But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged. 8Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat. 9But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak. 10Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods? 11The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge. 12You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way. 13This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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