1 Corinthians 8
English Standard Version
Food Offered to Idols
8 Now concerning[a] (A)food offered to idols: we know that (B)“all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” (C)puffs up, (D)but love builds up. 2 (E)If anyone imagines that he knows something, (F)he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, (G)he is known by God.[b]
4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that (H)“an idol has no real existence,” and that (I)“there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be (J)so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet (K)for us there is one God, the Father, (L)from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and (M)one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and (N)through whom we exist.
7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, (O)through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and (P)their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 (Q)Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care (R)that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block (S)to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating[c] in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,[d] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is (T)destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers[e] and (U)wounding their conscience when it is weak, (V)you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, (W)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 Greek him
- 1 Corinthians 8:10 Greek reclining at table
- 1 Corinthians 8:10 Or fortified; Greek built up
- 1 Corinthians 8:12 Or brothers and sisters
1 Corinthians 8
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Food Offered to Idols
8 About food offered to idols:(A) We know that “we all have knowledge.”[a] Knowledge inflates with pride,(B) but love(C) builds up. 2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.(D) 3 But if anyone loves God,(E) he is known(F) by Him.
4 About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.”(G) 5 For even if there are so-called gods,(H) whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father.(I)
All things are from Him,(J)
and we exist for Him.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ.
All things are through Him,
and we exist through Him.(K)
7 However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.(L) 9 But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block(M) to the weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11 Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died,(N) is ruined[b](O) by your knowledge.(P) 12 Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat,(Q) so that I won’t cause my brother to fall.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 See note at 1Co 6:12-13.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11 Or destroyed
1 Corinthians 8
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. 2 And (D)if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
4 Therefore 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. 5 For even if there are (G)so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet (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.
7 However, 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. 8 But (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.
9 But (P)beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become (Q)a [c]stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For 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? 11 And (S)because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But (T)when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, (U)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 makes arrogant
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 builds up
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 cause of offense
1 Corinthians 8
New Living Translation
Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.[a]
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
by whom all things were created,
and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things were created,
and through whom we live.
7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer[b] for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers[c] by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8
New American Standard Bible
Take Care with Your Liberty
8 Now concerning (A)food sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have (B)knowledge. Knowledge [a](C)makes one conceited, but love (D)edifies people. 2 (E)If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet (F)known as he ought to know; 3 but if anyone loves God, he (G)is known by Him.
4 Therefore, concerning the eating of (H)food sacrificed to idols, we know that an (I)idol is [b]nothing at all in the world, and that (J)there is no God but one. 5 For even if (K)there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us (L)there is only one God, (M)the Father, (N)from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and (O)one Lord, Jesus Christ, (P)by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.
7 However, not all people (Q)have this knowledge; but (R)some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Now (S)food will not bring us [c]close to God; we are neither [d]the worse if we do not eat, nor [e]the better if we do eat. 9 But (T)take care that this [f]freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the (U)weak. 10 For if someone sees you, the one who has (V)knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will his conscience, if he is weak, not be strengthened to eat (W)things sacrificed to idols? 11 For through (X)your knowledge the one who is weak (Y)is ruined, the brother or sister for whose sake Christ died. 12 (Z)And so, by sinning against the brothers and sisters and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin (AA)against Christ. 13 Therefore, (AB)if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to sin.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 Lit puffs up
- 1 Corinthians 8:4 I.e., what it represents does not exist
- 1 Corinthians 8:8 Or before God
- 1 Corinthians 8:8 Lit lacking
- 1 Corinthians 8:8 Lit abounding
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 Lit right
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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