1 KwabaseKhorinte 8
1 Mayelana-ke lezinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe, siyazi ukuthi sonke silolwazi. Ulwazi luyakhukhumeza, kodwa uthando luyakha.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 Uba-ke umuntu esithi uyazi ulutho, kakazi lutho njengoba kufanele ukuthi azi;
If anyone thinks he knows something, that person does not yet know as he should know.
3 kodwa uba umuntu ethanda uNkulunkulu, yena uyaziwa nguye.
But if anyone loves God, that person is known by him.
4 Ngakho mayelana lokudla izinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe, siyazi ukuthi isithombe kasilutho emhlabeni, lokuthi kakho omunye unkulunkulu ngaphandle koyedwa.
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 Ngoba lanxa kukhona okuthiwa ngonkulunkulu, loba kusezulwini loba kusemhlabeni (njengoba kukhona onkulunkulu abanengi, lamakhosi amanengi),
For maybe so-called gods do exist, either in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords.”
6 kanti kithi kuloNkulunkulu munye, uBaba, okuvela kuye izinto zonke, lathi sikuye; leNkosi inye, uJesu Kristu, okwavela ngaye konke, lathi sikhona ngaye.
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 Kodwa ulwazi kalukho kubo bonke; kanti abanye belesazela sesithombe kuze kube khathesi bayakudla njengokuhlatshelwe isithombe, lesazela sabo esibuthakathaka singcoliswa.
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 Kodwa ukudla kakusisondezi kuNkulunkulu; ngoba kungesikuthi nxa sisidla, silenzuzo; njalo kungesikuthi nxa singadli, silokulahlekelwa.
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 Qaphelani-ke, hlezi amandla enu la abe yisikhubekiso kwababuthakathaka.
But take care that your freedom does not become a reason for someone who is weak in faith to stumble.
10 Ngoba uba umuntu ekubona wena ololwazi uhlezi ekudleni ethempelini lesithombe, isazela salowo obuthakathaka kasiyikuqiniswa yini ukuthi adle izinto ezihlatshelwe izithombe?
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 Ngenxa yolwazi lwakho lomzalwane obuthakathaka uzabhubha yini, amfelayo uKristu?
So because of your understanding about the true nature of idols, the weaker one, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed.
12 Kodwa uba lisona ngokunjalo kubazalwane, lilimaza isazela sabo esibuthakathaka, liyona kuKristu.
Thus, when you sin against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ.
