1 Corinthians 8
1 And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love builds up;
With reference to food that has been offered in sacrifice to idols — We are aware that all of us have knowledge! Knowledge breeds conceit, while love builds up character.
2 and if anyone thinks to know anything, he has not yet known anything according as it is required to know;
If a man thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet reached that knowledge which he ought to have reached.
3 and if anyone loves God, this one has been known by Him.
On the other hand, if a man loves God, he is known by God.
4 Concerning 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;
With reference, then, to eating food that has been offered to idols — we are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 for even if there are those called gods, whether in Heaven, whether on earth—as there are many gods and many lords—
Even supposing that there are so-called ‘gods’ either in Heaven or on earth — and there are many such ‘gods’ and ‘lords’ —
6 yet to us [is] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom [are] all things, and we through Him;
Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come (and for him we live), and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things come (and through him we live).
7 but not in all men [is] the knowledge, and certain with conscience of the idol, until now, eat [it] as a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
Still, it is not every one that has this knowledge. Some people, because of their association with idols, continued down to the present time, eat the food as food offered to an idol; and their consciences, while still weak, are dulled.
8 But food does not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;
What we eat, however, will not bring us nearer to God. We lose nothing by not eating this food, and we gain nothing by eating it.
9 but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the weak,
But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.
10 for if anyone may see you that have knowledge in an idol’s temple reclining to eat, will not his conscience—he being weak—be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols?
For if some one should see you who possess this knowledge, feasting in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is a weak man, become so hardened that he, too, will eat food offered to idols?
11 For the [one] being weak—the brother for whom Christ died—will perish by your knowledge.
And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak man is ruined — your Brother for whose sake Christ died!
12 And thus sinning in regard to the brothers, and striking their weak conscience—you sin in regard to Christ;
In this way, by sinning against your Brothers and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.
