Berean Standard Bible
1 Corinthians 10:23
23“Everything is permissible,”1 but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
1 Corinthians 10:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
- New International Version (NIV)“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.
- New King James Version (NKJV)All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Context of 1 Corinthians 10:23
21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. 22Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. 24No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. 25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
Read all of 1 Corinthians 101 Corinthians 10:23 word by word
Πάντα ἔξεστιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντα συμφέρει· πάντα ἔξεστιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 10:23
- 1 Corinthians 6:12“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- Romans 14:15If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, encouragement, and comfort.
- Romans 14:19So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- Romans 15:1We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19Have you been thinking all along that we were making a defense to you? We speak before God in Christ, and all of this, beloved, is to build you up.
- Ephesians 4:29Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- 1 Timothy 1:4or devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23All things are lawful for me - I may lawfully eat all kinds of food, but all are not expedient; · It would not be becoming in me to eat of all, because I should by this offend and grieve many weak minds. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 6:12, etc.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23All things are lawful for me - See the note at 1 Corinthians 6:12. This is a repetition of what he had said before; and it is here applied to the subject of eating the meat that had been offered to idols. The sense is,” Though it may be admitted that it was strictly “lawful” to partake of that meat, yet there were strong reasons why it was inexpedient; and those reasons ought to have the binding force of law.” All things edify not - All things do not tend…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-33Verses 23-33 There were cases wherein Christians might eat what had been offered to idols, without sin. Such as when the flesh was sold in the market as common food, for the priest to whom it had been given. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. Christianity by no means forbids the common offices of kindness, or allows uncourteous behaviour to any, however they may differ from us in religious…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24"Everything is permissible": Paul is likely quoting a common saying among the Corinthians and explaining it. Paul clarifies a Christian’s freedom by stressing the importance of doing what benefits others (see 6:12; 10:32–33; Romans 14:13–15, 19–21; 15:1–2; compare Philippians 2:3–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. All things are lawful for me, &c.--Recurring to the Corinthian plea (1Co 6:12), he repeats his qualification of it. The oldest manuscripts omit both times "for me." edify not--tend not to build up the spiritual temple, the Church, in faith and love. Paul does not appeal to the apostolic decision (Ac 15:1-29), which seems to have been not so much regarded outside of Palestine, but rather to the broad principle of true Christian freedom, which does not…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 10:23
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. 1 Corinthians 10:23 Or “All things are lawful,” twice in this verse ↩
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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