1 Corinthians 8
1 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.
Now about the things sacrificed to idols. We know that all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 If someone thinks that they know anything, they have not yet reached that knowledge which they ought to have reached.
If any man presumes to know anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.
3 On the other hand, if a person loves God, they are known by God.
But if any man loves God, this man is known by him.
4 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.
Therefore about eating the things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one.
5 Even supposing that there are so-called “gods” either in heaven or on earth – and there are many such “gods” and “lords” –
For also since there are things called gods, whether in heaven or on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords,
6 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).
yet to us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for him, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
7 Still, it is not everyone 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.
Nevertheless the knowledge is not in all men, but some, with conscience of the idol until now, eat as sacrificed to idols, and their weak conscience is defiled.
8 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.
But food does not present us to God, for neither if we eat are we ahead, nor if we do not eat are we behind.
9 But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.
But take heed lest somehow this privilege of yours becomes a stumbling-block to those who are weak.
10 For if someone should see you who possess this knowledge, feasting in an idol’s temple, will not their conscience, if they are weak, become so hardened that they, too, will eat food offered to idols?
For if some man sees thee, who has knowledge, dining in an idol-temple, will not his conscience, being weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
11 And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!
And by thy knowledge the brother, being weak, will be ruined, for whom Christ died.
12 In this way, by sinning against your fellow followers of the Lord and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.
And sinning this way against the brothers, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
