1 Corinthians 8:1-9:18

New King James Version

Be Sensitive to Conscience

8 Now ^(A)concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have ^(B)knowledge. ^(C)Knowledge ^[a]puffs up, but love ^[b]edifies. ²And ^(D)if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. ³But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

⁴Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that ^(E)an idol is nothing in the world, ^(F)and that there is no other God but one. ⁵For even if there are ^(G)so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), ⁶yet ^(H)for us there is one God, the Father, ^(I)of whom are all things, and we for Him; and ^(J)one Lord Jesus Christ, ^(K)through whom are all things, and ^(L)through whom we live.

⁷However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, ^(M)with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is ^(N)defiled. ⁸But ^(O)food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

⁹But ^(P)beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become ^(Q)a ^[c]stumbling block to those who are weak. ¹⁰For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not ^(R)the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? ¹¹And ^(S)because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? ¹²But ^(T)when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, ^(U)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

A Pattern of Self-Denial

9 Am ^(V)I not an apostle? Am I not free? ^(W)Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? ^(X)Are you not my work in the Lord? ²If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are ^(Y)the ^[d]seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴^(Z)Do we have no ^[e]right to eat and drink? ⁵Do we have no right to take along ^[f]a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, ^(AA)the brothers of the Lord, and ^(AB)Cephas? ⁶Or is it only Barnabas and I ^(AC)who have no right to refrain from working? ⁷Who ever ^(AD)goes to war at his own expense? Who ^(AE)plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who ^(AF)tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

⁸Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, ^(AG)“You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? ¹⁰Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that ^(AH)he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. ¹¹^(AI)If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? ¹²If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?

^(AJ)Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things ^(AK)lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³^(AL)Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the ^(AM)temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴Even so ^(AN)the Lord has commanded ^(AO)that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

¹⁵But ^(AP)I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for ^(AQ)it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. ¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for ^(AR)necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷For if I do this willingly, ^(AS)I have a reward; but if against my will, ^(AT)I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸What is my reward then? That ^(AU)when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel ^[g]of Christ without charge, that I ^(AV)may not abuse my authority in the gospel.