12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

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Sexual Immorality

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.(A) “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

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23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?

30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

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The Believer’s Freedom

23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.(A) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.(B)

25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,(C) 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[a](D)

27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you(E) without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.(F) 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom(G) being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?(H)

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.(I) 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble,(J) whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God(K) 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way.(L) For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,(M) so that they may be saved.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

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27 No, I strike a blow to my body(A) and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.(B)

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15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

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15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God(A) and that no bitter root(B) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral,(C) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.(D)

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14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

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14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.(A) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.(B) 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.(C) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.(D) 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.(E) 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,(F) but of righteousness, peace(G) and joy in the Holy Spirit,(H) 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.(I)

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace(J) and to mutual edification.(K) 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.(L) All food is clean,(M) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.(N) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.(O)

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn(P) himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts(Q) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.[a]

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts place 16:25-27 here; others after 15:33.

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

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But not everyone possesses this knowledge.(A) Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak,(B) it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God;(C) we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block(D) to the weak.(E) 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?(F) 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed(G) by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them(H) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.(I) 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.(J)

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Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

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We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help,(A) but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.(B)

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12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

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12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts,(A) eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.(B) They are clouds without rain,(C) blown along by the wind;(D) autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted(E)—twice dead.

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As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

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So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:(A) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”(B) and that “There is no God but one.”(C)

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12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

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12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right.(A) On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder(B) the gospel of Christ.

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14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

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14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual,(A) sold(B) as a slave to sin.(C)

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