1 Corinthians 8-10

Christian Standard Bible

Food Offered to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:^(A) We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up,^(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 sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,”^[a] 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. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Food will not bring us close to God.^[b] We are not worse off 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 knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged^[c] to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died,^(N) is ruined^[d](O) by your knowledge.^{(P) 12} Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat,^(Q) so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

Paul’s Example as an Apostle

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? ² If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, because you are the seal^(R) of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ My defense to those who examine me is this: ⁴ Don’t we have the right to eat and drink?^{(S) 5} Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife^[e] like the other apostles,^(T) the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?^{(U) 6} Or do only Barnabas^(V) and I have no right to refrain from working? ⁷ Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?^(W) Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

⁸ Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? ⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox^(X) while it treads out grain.^[f](Y) Is God really concerned about oxen? ¹⁰ Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake,^(Z) because he who plows ought to plow in hope,^(AA) and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.^{(AB) 11} If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? ¹² If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything^(AC) so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

¹³ Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar^(AD) share in the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.^(AE)

¹⁵ For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach^[g]—and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted^(AF) with a commission. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel.^(AG)

¹⁹ Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win^(AH) more people. ²⁰ To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law^[h]—to win those under the law.^{(AI) 21} To those who are without the law,^(AJ) like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some.^{(AK) 23} Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.

²⁴ Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race,^(AL) but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize.^{(AM) 25} Now everyone who competes exercises self-control^(AN) in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown,^(AO) but we an imperishable crown. ²⁶ So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.^(AP)

Warnings from Israel’s Past

10 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors^(AQ) were all under the cloud,^(AR) all passed through the sea,^{(AS) 2} and all were baptized^(AT) into Moses^(AU) in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food,^{(AV) 4} and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock^(AW) that followed them, and that rock was Christ.^{(AX) 5} Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.^(AY)

⁶ Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire^(AZ) evil things as they did.^{[i](BA) 7} Don’t become idolaters^(BB) as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.^{[j][k](BC) 8} Let us not commit sexual immorality^(BD) as some of them did,^[l] and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died.^{(BE) 9} Let us not test Christ as some of them did^[m] and were destroyed by snakes.^{(BF) 10} And don’t grumble^(BG) as some of them did,^[n](BH) and were killed by the destroyer.^{[o](BI) 11} These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction,^(BJ) on whom the ends of the ages^[p](BK) have come.^{(BL) 12} So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.^{(BM) 13} No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful;^(BN) he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out^(BO) so that you may be able to bear it.

Warning against Idolatry

¹⁴ So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. ¹⁶ The cup^(BP) of blessing^(BQ) that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread^(BR) that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one^(BS) body, since all of us share the one bread. ¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel.^[q] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?^{(BT) 19} What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but I do say that what they^[r] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. ²² Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?^(BU)

Christian Liberty

²³ “Everything is permissible,”^[s] but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,”^[t] but not everything builds up. ²⁴ No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.^(BV)

²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, ²⁶ since the earth is the Lord’s,^(BW) and all that is in it.^{[u](BX) 27} If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it,^(BY) out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.^{[v] 29} I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged^(BZ) by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanksgiving,^(CA) why am I criticized because of something for which I give thanks?

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.^{(CB) 32} Give no offense^(CC) to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, ³³ just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many,^(CD) so that they may be saved.