1 Corinthians 8
1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
2 The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
If any one think he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know [it].
3 But the one who loves God is known by God.
But if any one love God, he is known of 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.
— 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.
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 and if indeed there are [those] called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many, )
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 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.
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 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.
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.
But 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.
9 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
But see lest anywise this your right [to eat] itself be a stumbling-block to the 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 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?
11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
and the weak [one], the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge.
12 By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Now, thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
