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1 Corinthians 8
New King James Version
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 International Version
1 Corinthians 8
New International Version
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:(A) We know that “We all possess knowledge.”(B) But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something(C) do not yet know as they ought to know.(D) 3 But whoever loves God is known by God.[a](E)
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:(F) We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”(G) and that “There is no God but one.”(H) 5 For even if there are so-called gods,(I) whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God,(J) the Father,(K) from whom all things came(L) and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord,(M) Jesus Christ, through whom all things came(N) and through whom we live.
7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge.(O) 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,(P) it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God;(Q) we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block(R) to the weak.(S) 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?(T) 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed(U) by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them(V) in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.(W) 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.(X)
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 An early manuscript and another ancient witness think they have knowledge do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves truly knows.
1 Corinthians 8
New Living Translation
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New Living Translation (NLT)
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.