1 Corinthiërs 8

1 Wat nu het offervlees betreft, weten we: "Allen hebben we kennis." Maar de kennis blaast op, de liefde bouwt op.

Now [I will answer what you asked] about [us believers] eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols. [We know what some of you say, that God has enabled] all of us [to] know [the truth about things such as idols. But often we become] proud because we say that we know [all those things]. But instead of being proud about what we know, we should show that we love [our fellow believers by helping them to] become spiritually mature.

2 Zo iemand zich inbeeldt, iets te kennen, dan is zijn kennis nog niet, zoals ze wezen moet;

Those who think that they thoroughly know something do not yet know it as they should.

3 doch zo iemand liefde heeft tot God, dan is hij door Hem gekend.

But as for those who love God, they know that they belong to him.

4 Wat dus het eten van het offervlees aangaat, weten we, dat er eigenlijk geen afgod in de wereld bestaat, en dat er geen God is, behalve Eén.

So [I will tell you] about eating meat that people have sacrificed to idols. We know that it is true, [as you say], that idols are not really alive. We also know that there is only one real God.

5 Want al zijn er ook zogenaamde goden in de hemel of op aarde, en zó zijn er inderdaad veel goden en veel heren,

It is true that there are gods whom people think live in the heavens or whom they think live on earth. Truly, there are many beings that [people] call gods, and whom [they] call lords.

6 voor ons is er slechts één God, de Vader, uit wien alles voortkomt, en tot wien we geordend zijn, en één Heer Jesus Christus, door wien alle dingen, door wien ook wijzelf zijn.

But for us [believers] there is only one real God. He is [our heavenly] Father who created everything. He is the one whom we [worship and serve]. Also, for us believers Jesus Christ is the one and only Lord. He is the one whom [God caused] to create everything. It is because of what he [has done for us on the cross] that we have [spiritual] life.

7 Maar niet allen hebben die kennis. Sommigen toch, ook nu nog in de overtuiging, dat er werkelijk afgoden bestaan, eten het juist als offervlees, en hun geweten, zwak als het is, wordt er door bezoedeld.

Nevertheless, some people do not understand [that idols are not really alive]. In the past, some among you who are believers now were accustomed to believing that idols [were really alive]. As a result, when they eat such meat [now], they still think that it was sacrificed to an idol [that is alive]. They are not sure [that God allows believers to eat meat that has been offered to idols]. So, [when they eat such meat], they think that they have sinned.

8 Zeker, het eten zal ons niet voor God brengen: eten we niet, we zijn er niet minder om: eten we wel, we worden er niet beter van.

But God will not think more highly about us [if we eat certain] foods, or if we do not eat [certain foods]. That is, we are not more acceptable to God if we do not eat certain foods, nor are we more acceptable to him if we eat those foods.

9 Toch moet gij toezien, dat uw recht de zwakken niet tot aanstoot wordt.

However, be sure that you do not do anything that God allows you to do, if by doing that you would encourage any of [your fellow believers to do something that] they are not sure [God allows them to do]. As a result, you would be causing them to sin.

10 Want wanneer zo iemand u, den man van kennis, in een afgodstempel ziet aanliggen, zal dan het geweten van dien zwakken mens niet worden gestijfd in het eten der afgodenoffers?

For example, you know [that idols are not really alive]. Suppose that in a temple [where they worship] idols you eat [food that has been sacrificed to idols]. Suppose that someone who is not sure whether God allows us to eat that food sees you eating it. [You] would be encouraging him to eat it, too. [RHQ]

11 Ja, dan gaat door uw kennis de zwakke verloren, de broeder, voor wien Christus gestorven is.

As a result, you who know that [idols are not really alive], might cause that fellow believer, one for whom Christ died, (to be ruined [spiritually]/to stop believing [in Christ]).

12 Maar door zó tegen de broeders te zondigen en hun zwak geweten te kwetsen, zondigt gij tegen Christus.

By sinning against your fellow believer by causing him to do something that he thinks God does not allow us to do, [it is as though] you are sinning against Christ himself!

13 Daarom, zo het eten ergernis geeft aan mijn broeder, dan zal ik in eeuwigheid geen vlees meer eten, om mijn broeder niet te ergeren. (aiōn g165)

So if [I, Paul, think that by] eating a certain food I might cause a fellow believer to be ruined spiritually, I will never eat such food again. I do not want to cause any fellow believer (to be ruined spiritually/to stop believing in Christ). [And you should] ([do as I do/imitate my example]). (aiōn g165)