1 Corinthians 8:9-13
New King James Version
9 But (A)beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become (B)a [a]stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not (C)the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And (D)because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But (E)when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, (F)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 cause of offense
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
Amplified Bible
9 Only be careful that this liberty of yours [this power to choose] does not somehow become a stumbling block [that is, a temptation to sin] to the weak [in conscience]. 10 For if someone sees you, a person having [a]knowledge, [b]eating in an idol’s temple, then if he is weak, will he not be encouraged to eat things sacrificed to idols [and violate his own convictions]? 11 For through your knowledge (spiritual maturity) this weak man is ruined [that is, he suffers in his spiritual life], the brother for whom Christ died. 12 And when you sin against the brothers and sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience [by confusing them], you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if [my eating a certain] food causes my brother to stumble (sin), I will not eat [such] meat ever again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:10 I.e. the knowledge that no harm can come from eating the meat, since in reality the sacrifice is meaningless (see note v 7).
- 1 Corinthians 8:10 Lit reclining, i.e. the position in which people dined.
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
The Message
8-9 But fortunately God doesn’t grade us on our diet. We’re neither commended when we clean our plate nor reprimanded when we just can’t stomach it. But God does care when you use your freedom carelessly in a way that leads a fellow believer still vulnerable to those old associations to be thrown off track.
10 For instance, say you flaunt your freedom by going to a banquet thrown in honor of idols, where the main course is meat sacrificed to idols. Isn’t there great danger if someone still struggling over this issue, someone who looks up to you as knowledgeable and mature, sees you go into that banquet? The danger is that he will become terribly confused—maybe even to the point of getting mixed up himself in what his conscience tells him is wrong.
11-13 Christ gave up his life for that person. Wouldn’t you at least be willing to give up going to dinner for him—because, as you say, it doesn’t really make any difference? But it does make a difference if you hurt your friend terribly, risking his eternal ruin! When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn’t worth it at the cost of even one of these “weak ones.” So, never go to these idol-tainted meals if there’s any chance it will trip up one of your brothers or sisters.
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Read full chapterScripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson