1 Wakorintho 8
1 Sasa kuhusu vyakula vilivyotolewa sadaka kwa sanamu: tunajua ya kwamba “sisi sote tuna maarifa.” Maarifa huleta majivuno, bali upendo hujenga.
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 Ikiwa mtu yeyote anadhani kwamba anajua jambo fulani, mtu huyo bado hajui kama impasavyo kujua.
The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 Lakini ikiwa mmoja wapo akimpenda Mungu, mtu huyo anajulikana naye.
But the one who loves God is known by God.
4 Basi kuhusu kula vyakula vilivyotolewa sadaka kwa sanamu: twajua kuwa “sanamu si kitu katika dunia hii,” na ya kuwa hakuna Mungu ila mmoja tu.”
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 Kwa maana kuna wengi waitwao miungu ikiwa ni mbinguni au duniani, kama vile walivyo “miungu na mabwana wengi.”
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
6 “Ijapokuwa kwetu kuna Mungu mmoja tu ambaye ni Baba, vitu vyote vimetoka kwake, nasi tunaishi kwake, na Bwana mmoja Yesu Kristo, ambaye kwake vitu vyote vimekuwapo, na kwa yeye sisi tupo.”
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.
7 Hata hivyo, ujuzi huu haupo ndani ya kila mmoja. Badala yake, wengine walishiriki ibada za sanamu hapo zamani, na hata sasa wanakula vyakula hivi kana kwamba ni kitu kilichotolewa sadaka kwa sanamu. Dhamiri zao zimepotoshwa kwa kuwa ni dhaifu.
But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
8 Lakini chakula hakitatuthibitisha sisi kwa Mungu. Sisi sio wabaya sana kama tusipo kula, wala wema sana ikiwa tutakula.
But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9 Lakini iweni makini ya kwamba uhuru wenu usiwe sababu ya kumkwaza aliye dhaifu katika imani.
Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 Hebu fikiri kwamba mtu amekuona, wewe uliye na ujuzi, unakula chakula katika hekalu la sanamu. Dhamiri yake mtu huyo haitathibitika hata yeye naye ale vitu vilivyotolewa sadaka kwa sanamu?
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
11 Kwa hiyo kwa sababu ya ufahamu wako wa ukweli juu ya asili ya sanamu, kaka au dada yako aliye dhaifu, ambaye pia Kristo alikufa kwa ajili yake, anaangamizwa.
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
12 Hivyo, unapofanya dhambi dhidi ya kaka na dada zako na kuzijeruhi dhamiri zao zilizo dhaifu, mnatenda dhambi dhidi ya Kristo.
By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
