1 Corinthians 8
1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
Now concerning those things that are sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity builds up.
2 The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if anyone considers himself to know anything, he does not yet know in the way that he ought to know.
3 But the one who loves God is known by God.
For if anyone loves God, he is known by him.
4 So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.
But as to the foods that are immolated to idols, we know that an idol in the world is nothing, and that no one is God, except One.
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
For although there are things that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (if one even considers there to be many gods and many lords)
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
yet we know that there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things are, and in whom we are, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and by whom we are.
7 But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
But knowledge is not in everyone. For some persons, even now, with consent to an idol, eat what has been sacrificed to an idol. And their conscience, being infirm, becomes polluted.
8 But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Yet food does not commend us to God. For if we eat, we will not have more, and if we do not eat, we will not have less.
9 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
But be careful not to let your liberty become a cause of sin to those who are weak.
10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
For if anyone sees someone with knowledge sitting down to eat in idolatry, will not his own conscience, being infirm, be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?
11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
And should an infirm brother perish by your knowledge, even though Christ died for him?
12 By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
So when you sin in this way against the brothers, and you harm their weakened conscience, then you sin against Christ.
