New Testament in a Year

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^[a] 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?^(A)

Christian Liberty

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

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,^(C) and all that is in it.^{[d](D) 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,^(E) out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.^{[e] 29} I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged^(F) by another person’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thanksgiving,^(G) 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.^{(H) 32} Give no offense^(I) 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,^(J) so that they may be saved.