Kehillah in Corinth I 8
Orthodox Jewish Bible
8 Now concerning the sacrifice to an elil (idol in avodah zarah, idol worship), we know that "we all possess da’as (knowledge)." But da’as puffs up (with ga’avah), but ahavah (agape 14:1) builds up.
2 If anyone presumes he has da’as of anything, he does not yet have da’as of the necessary da’as.
3 But if a person has Ahavas Hashem, Hashem has da’as of that person. [YIRMEYAH 1:5]
4 Now concerning the eating of the okhel (food) at the mizbe’ach of avodah zarah which is sacrificed to an elil (idol), we have da’as that an elil is nothing in the world, and that there is no G-d but ECHAD (DEVARIM 4:35, 39; 6:4).
5 For even if there are [in popular tradition] so-called "g-ds," whether in Shomayim or on ha’aretz, even as there are so-called "g-ds" many and "l-rds" many,
6 Yet in fact for us we have da’as that there is ADONOI ECHAD ("L-rd is One " DEVARIM 6:4), Hashem AV ECHAD L’CHULLANU ("One Father of us all” MALACHI 2:10), from whom are all things, and we exist for Hashem, and there is Adon Echad [MALACHI 3:1], Moshiach Yehoshua [ZECHARYAH 3:8; 6:11-12], through whom are all things and we through him.
7 However, not kol Bnei Adam have this da’as (knowledge). Some are so accustomed to the elil (idol) until now that when they eat, they think of the okhel (food) as being sacrificed to the elil in avodah zarah, and their matzpun (conscience), being weak, is made to be tameh (defiled).
8 But okhel (food) will not usher us into the presence of Hashem; neither are we falling short if we do not eat okhel, nor are we better if we eat.
9 But beware lest somehow your cherut (freedom) becomes a michshol (stumbling block) to the weak ones.
10 For if anyone sees you, the one having da’as (knowledge), eating in the temple of an elil, will not the matzpun of him be strengthened so as to eat the okhel sacrificed to an elil (idol) at the mizbe’ach of avodah zarah?
11 For the one being weak [in emunah] is being destroyed by your "da’as,” the Ach b’Moshiach for whom Moshiach died.
12 And thus by sinning against the Achim b’Moshiach and wounding their weak matzpunim (consciences), you commit averos against Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
13 Therefore, if okhel causes my Ach b’Moshiach to trip on a michshol, I should never eat meat again, lest I cause my Ach b’Moshiach to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8
New Catholic Bible
Christians and Pagan Customs[a]
The Question of Meat Sacrificed to Idols
Chapter 8
An Idol Is Not Nothing. 1 Now concerning the question of meat that has been sacrificed to idols, we are well aware that all of us possess knowledge. However, while knowledge puffs up, love builds up. 2 Anyone who believes that his knowledge about something is complete will soon discover that his knowledge is flawed, 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4 Now in regard to the eating of meat sacrificed to idols, we know that idols are nothing in the world and that there is only one God. 5 Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth—and there are in fact many gods and many lords— 6 for us there is
one God, the Father,
from whom all things are
and for whom we exist,[b]
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things are
and through whom we exist.
Do Not Cause a Brother To Fall. 7 However, not everyone possesses this knowledge. There are some who have become so accustomed to idolatry up until now that when they consume meat that has been sacrificed to an idol, their conscience in its weakness is defiled.
8 Obviously, food cannot bring us closer to God. We do not lack anything if we do not eat, and we have no advantage if we do. 9 Just take care that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 If someone who regards you as knowledgeable observes you eating in an idol’s temple, will he not, burdened by a weak conscience, be influenced to eat food that has been sacrificed to idols?
11 Therefore, through your knowledge, this weak believer is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 And when you sin against your brethren and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. 13 Hence, if food can lead my brother to sin, I will never again eat meat lest I cause the downfall of one of my brethren.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 Paul is clearly convinced that as we do not allow any value to idols, neither do we allow it to meats sacrificed in honor of idols. Christians are therefore free to eat of them. But this principle holds only for a firm and enlightened faith that rises above every danger of contamination by superstition.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 For whom we exist: another possible translation is: “toward whom we return.” Through whom all things are: this is the earliest mention in the New Testament of the role of Jesus in creation.
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