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 food sacrificed to idols: We know that we 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 anyone thinks he knows something, that person does not yet know as he should know.
3 On the other hand, if a person loves God, they are known by God.
But if anyone loves God, that person 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.
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 Even supposing that there are so-called ‘gods’ either in heaven or on earth – and there are many such ‘gods’ and ‘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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the 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 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 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, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!
So because of your understanding about the true nature of idols, the weaker one, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed.
12 In this way, by sinning against your fellow followers of the Lord and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.
Thus, when you sin against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ.
