1 Corinthians 8
8
The Question about Food Offered to Idols
1Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols.
It is true, of course, that “all of us have knowledge”, as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. 2Those who think they know something really don't know as they ought to know. 3But the person who loves God is known by him.
4So then, about eating the food offered to idols: we know that an idol stands for something that does not really exist; we know that there is only the one God. 5Even if there are so-called “gods”, whether in heaven or on earth, and even though there are many of these “gods” and “lords”, 6yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live; and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.
7But not everyone knows this truth. Some people have been so used to idols that to this day when they eat such food they still think of it as food that belongs to an idol; their conscience is weak, and they feel they are defiled by the food. 8Food, however, will not improve our relations with God; we shall not lose anything if we do not eat, nor shall we gain anything if we do eat.
9Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. 10Suppose a person whose conscience is weak in this matter sees you, who have so-called “knowledge”, eating in the temple of an idol; will not this encourage him to eat food offered to idols? 11And so this weak person, your brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your “knowledge”! 12And in this way you will be sinning against Christ by sinning against your Christian brothers and sisters and wounding their weak conscience. 13So then, if food makes my brother or sister sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make my brother or sister fall into sin.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
1 Corinthians 8
8
1And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up;
2and if any one doth think to know anything, he hath not yet known anything according as it behoveth [him] to know;
3and if any one doth love God, this one hath been known by Him.
4Concerning the eating then of the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one;
5for even if there are those called gods, whether in heaven, whether upon earth — as there are gods many and lords many —
6yet to us [is] one God, the Father, of whom [are] the all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom [are] the all things, and we through Him;
7but not in all men [is] the knowledge, and certain with conscience of the idol, till now, as a thing sacrificed to an idol do eat [it], and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;
9but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the infirm,
10for if any one may see thee that hast knowledge in an idol's temple reclining at meat — shall not his conscience — he being infirm — be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols,
11and the brother who is infirm shall perish by thy knowledge, because of whom Christ died?
12and thus sinning in regard to the brethren, and smiting their weak conscience — in regard to Christ ye sin;
13wherefore, if victuals cause my brother to stumble, I may eat no flesh — to the age — that my brother I may not cause to stumble.
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