25 (A)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For (B)“the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, (C)eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean (D)your conscience, but his. For (E)why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that (F)for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or (G)whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

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25 (A)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for (B)“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, (C)eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it (D)for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; [a]for (E)“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For (F)why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food (G)over which I give thanks?

31 (H)Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:28 NU omits the rest of v. 28.

25 (A)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions, for the sake of conscience; 26 (B)for the earth is the Lords, and [a]all it contains. 27 If (C)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, (D)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions, for the sake of conscience. 28 But (E)if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience; 29 Now by “conscience” I do not mean your own, but the other person’s; for (F)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, (G)why am I slandered about that for which I (H)give thanks?

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or (I)whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:26 Lit its fullness

25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[a]

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:26 Ps 24:1.

25-28 With that as a base to work from, common sense can take you the rest of the way. Eat anything sold at the butcher shop, for instance; you don’t have to run an “idolatry test” on every item. “The earth,” after all, “is God’s, and everything in it.” That “everything” certainly includes the leg of lamb in the butcher shop. If a nonbeliever invites you to dinner and you feel like going, go ahead and enjoy yourself; eat everything placed before you. It would be both bad manners and bad spirituality to cross-examine your host on the ethical purity of each course as it is served. On the other hand, if he goes out of his way to tell you that this or that was sacrificed to god or goddess so-and-so, you should pass. Even though you may be indifferent as to where it came from, he isn’t, and you don’t want to send mixed messages to him about who you are worshiping.

29-30 But, except for these special cases, I’m not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I’m going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed it!

31-33 So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory. At the same time, don’t be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly stepping on the toes of those who aren’t as free as you are. I try my best to be considerate of everyone’s feelings in all these matters; I hope you will be, too.

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