Take Care with Your Liberty

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. (E)If anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has not yet (F)known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he (G)is known by Him.

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. For even if (K)there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 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.

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. 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. 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. 1 Corinthians 8:1 Lit puffs up
  2. 1 Corinthians 8:4 I.e., what it represents does not exist
  3. 1 Corinthians 8:8 Or before God
  4. 1 Corinthians 8:8 Lit lacking
  5. 1 Corinthians 8:8 Lit abounding
  6. 1 Corinthians 8:9 Lit right

Now de concerning peri · ho food sacrificed to idols eidōlothutos: we know oida that hoti we echō all pas have echō knowledge gnōsis.” · ho Knowledge gnōsis puffs up physioō, · ho but de love agapē builds up oikodomeō. If ei someone tis presumes dokeō to know ginōskō something tis, he does not oupō yet know ginōskō as kathōs he ought dei to know ginōskō. But de if ei someone tis loves agapaō · ho God theos, he houtos is known ginōskō by hypo God autos.

Therefore oun, as peri to the eating of ho food brōsis · ho sacrificed eidōlothutos to idols , we know oida that hoti “an idol eidōlon has no oudeis genuine reality en and kai that hoti “there is no oudeis God theos but ei mē one heis.” For gar even kai if eiper there are eimi so-called legō gods theos, whether eite in en heaven ouranos or eite on epi earth ( as hōsper indeed there are eimi many polys gods theos and kai many polys lords kyrios”), yet alla for us hēmeis there is but one heis God theos, the ho Father patēr, from ek whom hos are · ho all pas things and kai for eis whom autos we hēmeis exist, and kai one heis Lord kyrios, Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, through dia whom hos are · ho all pas things and kai through dia whom autos we hēmeis exist.

However alla, not ou everyone pas has en this ho knowledge gnōsis. But de some tis, because in former times heōs they were · ho involved synētheia with · ho idols eidōlon, eat esthiō this food as hōs though it were an idol eidōlothutos sacrifice , and kai thus · ho their autos conscience syneidēsis, being eimi weak asthenēs, is defiled molynō. Food brōma · de does not ou bring us hēmeis close paristēmi to ho God theos. We are hystereō no oute worse hystereō if ean we do not eat esthiō, and oute no better perisseuō if ean we do esthiō. But de take care blepō that pōs this houtos right exousia of yours hymeis does ginomai not · ho become ginomai a stumbling proskomma block to the ho weak asthenēs. 10 For gar if ean someone tis should see you sy who ho have echō knowledge gnōsis, dining katakeimai in en an idol’ s eidōleion temple , will not ouchi the ho conscience syneidēsis of the one autos who is weak asthenēs be eimi emboldened oikodomeō to eis eat esthiō food ho sacrificed to idols eidōlothutos? 11 And so gar the ho one who is weak astheneō, the ho brother adelphos for dia whom hos Christ Christos died apothnēskō, will be destroyed apollymi by en · ho your sos knowledge gnōsis. 12 So houtōs · de when you sin hamartanō against eis your ho brothers adelphos and kai wound typtō their autos · ho conscience syneidēsis, being weak astheneō, you are sinning hamartanō against eis Christ Christos. 13 Therefore dioper, if ei food brōma causes my egō brother adelphos to stumble skandalizō, · ho I will never ou mē eat esthiō meat kreas, lest hina mē I cause · ho my egō brother adelphos to stumble skandalizō.