1 Corinthians 8:9

1 Corinthians 8:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
• New International Version (NIV)Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

Context of 1 Corinthians 8:9

7But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols? 11So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.

1 Corinthians 8:9 word by word

βλέπετε δὲ μή πως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν.Read the interlinear

• Be carefulβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• howeverδέde · thenG1161
• ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• yourσύsu · youG4771
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• freedomἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• does not becomeμήmē · notG3361
• does not becomeπῶςpōs · how?!G4459
• does not becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a stumbling blockπρόσκομμαproskomma · stumbling blockG4348
• weakἀσθενήςasthenēs · weakG772

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 8:9

• 1 Corinthians 8:10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
• 1 Corinthians 10:24No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
• Matthew 18:6But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
• Luke 17:1Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
• Romans 14:20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block.
• Galatians 5:13For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
• 1 Peter 2:16Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
• Leviticus 19:14You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
• Isaiah 57:14And it will be said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
• Ezekiel 44:12Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
• Romans 14:13Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
• 1 Corinthians 8:12By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 8:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9But take heed - Lest by frequenting such feasts and eating things offered to idols, under the conviction that an idol is nothing, and that you may eat those things innocently, this liberty of yours should become a means of grievously offending a weak brother who has not your knowledge, or inducing one who respects you for your superior knowledge to partake of these things with the conscience, the persuasion and belief, that an idol is something, and to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9But take heed - This is the reply of Paul to the argument of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 8:8. “Though all that you say should be admitted to be true, as it must be; though a man is neither morally better nor worse for partaking of meat or abstaining from it; yet the grand principle to be observed is, so to act as not to injure your brethren. Though you may be no better or worse for eating or not eating, yet if your conduct shall injure others, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-10Believers should ensure their actions, like eating sacrificial meat, do not cause others to struggle (compare Romans 14:13, 20–21; Galatians 5:13).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. this liberty of yours--the watchword for lax Corinthians. The very indifference of meats, which I concede, is the reason why ye should "take heed" not to tempt weak brethren to act against their conscience (which constitutes sin, Ro 14:22, 23).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 8:9

• Commandments
• Conscience
• Evil
• Example
• Expediency
• Fraternity
• Idolatry
• Neophytes
• Prudence
• Stumbling
• Temptation

In the dictionaries

• Charity
• Commend
• Offend
• Perish
• Touching
• Authority in Religion
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Drunkenness
• Food
• Gnosticism

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 8

• 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
• 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