³ The prince himself is the only one who may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence^(A) of the Lord. He is to enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.^(B)”

² The prince is to enter from the outside through the portico^(A) of the gateway and stand by the gatepost. The priests are to sacrifice his burnt offering^(B) and his fellowship offerings. He is to bow down in worship at the threshold of the gateway and then go out, but the gate will not be shut until evening.^(C)

¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices^(A) participate in the altar? ¹⁹ Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?^{(B) 20} No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,^(C) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.^{(D) 22} Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?^(E) Are we stronger than he?^(F)

The Believer’s Freedom

²³ “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.^(G) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴ No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.^(H)

²⁵ Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,^{(I) 26} for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”^[a](J)

²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you^(K) without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.^{(L) 29} I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom^(M) being judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?^(N)

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.^{(O) 32} Do not cause anyone to stumble,^(P) whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God^(Q)— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way.^(R) For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,^(S) so that they may be saved.^(T)

²⁵ They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, the land where your ancestors lived.^(A) They and their children and their children’s children will live there forever,^(B) and David my servant will be their prince forever.^(C)

²⁴ I the Lord will be their God,^(A) and my servant David^(B) will be prince among them.^(C) I the Lord have spoken.^(D)

⁵⁴ He offered a sacrifice^(A) there in the hill country and invited his relatives to a meal.^(B) After they had eaten, they spent the night there.

⁸ When the prince enters, he is to go in through the portico^(A) of the gateway, and he is to come out the same way.^(B)

⁹ “‘When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals,^(C) whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate. ¹⁰ The prince is to be among them, going in when they go in and going out when they go out.^(D)

⁹ it^[a] was eight cubits^[b] deep and its jambs were two cubits^[c] thick. The portico of the gateway faced the temple.

³¹ The king stood by his pillar^(A) and renewed the covenant^(B) in the presence of the Lord—to follow^(C) the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, and to obey the words of the covenant written in this book.