1 Corinthians 8
Meat sacrificed to false gods
1 Now concerning meat that has been sacrificed to a false god: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds people up.2 If anyone thinks they know something, they don’t yet know as much as they should know.
3 But if someone loves God, then they are known by God.
4 So concerning the actual food involved in these sacrifices to false gods, we know that a false god isn’t anything in this world, and that there is no God except for the one God.5 Granted, there are so-called "gods," in heaven and on the earth, as there are many gods and many lords.
6 However, for us believers,
There is one God the Father.
All things come from him, and we belong to him.
And there is one Lord Jesus Christ.
All things exist through him, and we live through him.
7 But not everybody knows this. Some are eating this food as though it really is food sacrificed to a real idol, because they were used to idol worship until now. Their conscience is weak because it has been damaged.8 Food won’t bring us close to God. We’re not missing out if we don’t eat, and we don’t have any advantage if we do eat.9 But watch out or else this freedom of yours might be a problem for those who are weak.10 Suppose someone sees you (the person who has knowledge) eating in an idol’s temple. Won’t the person with a weak conscience be encouraged to eat the meat sacrificed to false gods?11 The weak brother or sister for whom Christ died is destroyed by your knowledge.12 You sin against Christ if you sin against your brothers and sisters and hurt their weak consciences this way.
13 This is why, if food causes the downfall of my brother or sister, I won’t eat meat ever again, or else I may cause my brother or sister to fall.
1 Corinthians 8
Food Sacrificed to Idols
1 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.”s Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.2 If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know.
3 But if someone loves God, het is known by God.t
4 With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.”s5 If after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),
6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.t
7 But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled.8 Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.9 But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak.10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened”t to eat food offered to idols?11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister,t for whom Christ died, is destroyed.t12 If you sin against your brothers or sisterst in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13 For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of themt to sin.