1 Corinthians 8
Advice About Food Offered to False Gods
1 Now, concerning food offered to false gods: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds them up.2 Those who think they know something still have a lot to learn.
3 But if they love God, they are known by God.
4 Now about eating food that was offered to false gods: We know that the false gods in this world don’t really exist and that no god exists except the one God.5 People may say that there are gods in heaven and on earth—many gods and many lords, as they would call them.
6 But for us,
“There is only one God, the Father.Everything came from him, and we live for him.There is only one Lord, Jesus Christ.Everything came into being through him,and we live because of him.”7 But not everyone knows this. Some people are so used to worshiping false gods that they believe they are eating food offered to a false god. So they feel guilty because their conscience is weak.8 Food will not affect our relationship with God. We are no worse off if we eat that food and no better off if we don’t.9 But be careful that by using your freedom you don’t somehow make a believer who is weak in faith fall into sin.10 For example, suppose someone with a weak conscience sees you, who have this knowledge, eating in the temple of a false god. Won’t you be encouraging that person to eat food offered to a false god?11 In that case, your knowledge is ruining a believer whose faith is weak, a believer for whom Christ died.
12 When you sin against other believers in this way and harm their weak consciences, you are sinning against Christ.
13 Therefore, if eating food offered to false gods causes other believers to lose their faith, I will never eat that kind of food so that I won’t make other believers lose their faith.
1 Corinthians 8
1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.2 If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know;3 but if any man loveth God, the same is known by him.4 Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one.5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many;6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.7 Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.8 But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak.10 For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?11 For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.12 And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ.13 Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.