1 Corinthians 8
1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has come to know nothing yet as he ought to know.
If anyone thinks he knows something, that person does not yet know as he should know.
3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
But if anyone loves God, that person is known by him.
4 Therefore, concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and no one else is God except the One.
So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol in this world is nothing and that there is no God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on the earth (since there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’),
For maybe so-called gods do exist, either in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords.”
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, out of whom are all things and we into Him, and one Sovereign Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and we through Him.
Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist, and through whom we exist.
7 However, this knowledge is not in everyone; but some, with consciousness of the idol, still eat it as offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
However, this knowledge is not in everyone. Instead, some previously practiced idol worship, and they eat this food as if it were something sacrificed to an idol. Their conscience is thereby corrupted because it is weak.
8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we better off, nor if we do not eat are we worse off.
But food will not present us to God. We are not worse if we do not eat, nor better if we do eat it.
9 But take care lest somehow this ‘right’ of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
But take care that your freedom does not become a reason for someone who is weak in faith to stumble.
10 For if someone who is weak sees you with your knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not his conscience be emboldened to eat things offered to idols?
For suppose that someone sees you, who have knowledge, eating a meal in an idol's temple. Is not his weak conscience emboldened to eat what is offered to idols?
11 And so the weak brother, for whom Christ died, will be wasted because of your knowledge.
So because of your understanding about the true nature of idols, the weaker one, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed.
12 But when you thus sin against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Thus, when you sin against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ.
