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Concerning Food Sacrificed To Idols: Let Love Guide Your Exercise of “Rights”

Now concerning the foods-sacrificed-to-idols, we know that we all have knowledge[a]. Knowledge puffs-up, but love builds-up. If anyone thinks that he has come-to-know anything, he did not-yet know as he ought-to know. But if one loves[b] God, this one has been known by Him. Therefore concerning the eating of the foods-sacrificed-to-idols— we know that an idol is nothing[c] in the world, and that there is no God except one. For even if-indeed there are ones being called gods, whether in heaven or on earth— as-indeed there are many[d] gods and many lords— yet for us there is One God the Father, from Whom are all things, and we are[e] for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we are through Him. But this knowledge is not in all people. But some, by the accustomed-habit[f] of the idol until now, eat this food as[g] food-sacrificed-to-an-idol. And their conscience, being weak, is stained[h]. But food will not bring us[i] near[j] to God— neither if we do not eat are we lacking, nor if we eat are we abounding. But be watching-out that this right[k] of yours does not somehow become an opportunity-for-stumbling to the weak ones. 10 For if someone sees you, the one having knowledge, reclining [to eat] in an idol-temple, will not his conscience, being weak, be built-up so as to eat the foods-sacrificed-to-idols? 11 For the one being weak is being destroyed[l] by your knowledge— the brother for the sake of whom Christ died! 12 And in this manner sinning against the brothers and striking[m] their conscience while being weak, you are sinning against Christ.

On The One Hand, I Will Not Do Anything That Hinders People’s Spiritual Advance

13 For-this-very-reason, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never eat meats, ever— in-order-that I may not cause my brother to fall.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 8:1 Before Paul gives the content of such knowledge in v 4-6, he corrects the spirit of such a statement.
  2. 1 Corinthians 8:3 Love is the heart of our relationship with God, not knowledge.
  3. 1 Corinthians 8:4 Or, that there is no idol (no genuine representation of any god).
  4. 1 Corinthians 8:5 Paul later calls them demons, 10:20.
  5. 1 Corinthians 8:6 Or, exist.
  6. 1 Corinthians 8:7 Or, habitual-use.
  7. 1 Corinthians 8:7 That is, as if the sacrifice, the eating, and the food still carry their old meanings.
  8. 1 Corinthians 8:7 Or, soiled, dirtied.
  9. 1 Corinthians 8:8 That is, us having knowledge, whose choices are the focus of the entire discussion in chapters 8-10.
  10. 1 Corinthians 8:8 Or, present us to God (for reward or judgment).
  11. 1 Corinthians 8:9 That is, this right to eat such food.
  12. 1 Corinthians 8:11 Or, ruined.
  13. 1 Corinthians 8:12 Or, assaulting, wounding.

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