1 Corinthians 8
New English Translation
Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.”[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. 3 But if someone loves God, he[b] is known by God.[c]
4 With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.”[d] 5 If after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.[e]
7 But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled. 8 Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. 9 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened”[f] to eat food offered to idols? 11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister,[g] for whom Christ died, is destroyed.[h] 12 If you sin against your brothers or sisters[i] in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them[j] to sin.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 sn “We all have knowledge.” Here and in v. 4 Paul cites certain slogans the Corinthians apparently used to justify their behavior (cf. 6:12-13; 7:1; 10:23). Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 tn Grk “this one.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 tn Grk “him”; in the translation the most likely referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
- 1 Corinthians 8:4 sn “An idol in this world is nothing” and “There is no God but one.” Here and in v. 1 Paul cites certain slogans the Corinthians apparently used to justify their behavior (cf. 6:12-13; 7:1; 10:23). Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 tn Grk “through whom [are] all things and we [are] through him.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:10 tn Or “built up”; This is the same word used in v. 1b. It is used ironically here: The weak person is “built up” to commit what he regards as sin.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11 tn Grk “the one who is weak…the brother for whom Christ died,” but see note on the word “Christian” in 5:11.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11 tn This may be an indirect middle, “destroys himself.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:12 tn See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
- 1 Corinthians 8:13 tn Grk “my brother.” Both “my brother or sister” earlier in the verse and “one of them” here translate the same Greek phrase. Since the same expression occurs in the previous line, a pronoun phrase is substituted here to suit English style, which is less tolerant of such repetition.
1 Corinthians 8
Mounce Reverse Interlinear New Testament
8 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. 2 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. 3 But de if ei someone tis loves agapaō · ho God theos, he houtos is known ginōskō by hypo God autos.
4 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.” 5 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 gē ( as hōsper indeed there are eimi many polys “ gods theos” and kai many polys “ lords kyrios”), 6 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.
7 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. 8 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 mē eat esthiō, and oute no better perisseuō if ean we do esthiō. 9 But de take care blepō that pōs this houtos right exousia of yours hymeis does ginomai not mē · 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.
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