1 Corinthians 8

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; Romans 14:13–23)

1NowG1161 aboutG4012 food sacrificed to idolsG1494: We knowG1492 thatG3754 we all haveG3956G2192 knowledgeG1108. KnowledgeG1108 puffs upG5448, butG1161 loveG26 builds upG3618. 2The one whoG5100 thinksG1380 he knowsG1097 somethingG5100 does not yet knowG3768G1097 asG2531 he oughtG1163 to knowG1097. 3ButG1161 the one whoG5100 lovesG25 GodG2316 is knownG1097 byG5259 God.

4SoG3767 aboutG4012 eatingG1035 food sacrificed to idolsG1494: We knowG1492 thatG3754 an idolG1497 is nothing at allG3762 inG1722 the worldG2889, andG2532 thatG3754 there is noG3762 GodG2316 butG1487G3361 oneG1520. 5ForG1063 evenG2532 ifG1512 there areG1510 so-calledG3004 godsG2316, whetherG1535 inG1722 heavenG3772 orG1535 onG1909 earthG1093 (asG5618 there areG1510 manyG4183 so-called godsG2316 andG2532 lordsG2962), 6yetG235 for usG1473 there is but oneG1520 GodG2316, theG3588 FatherG3962, fromG1537 whomG3739 allG3956 thingsG3588 came andG2532 forG1519 whom weG1473 exist. AndG2532 there is but oneG1520 LordG2962, JesusG2424 ChristG5547, throughG1223 whomG3739 allG3956 thingsG3588 came andG2532 throughG1223 whom weG1473 exist.

7ButG235 notG3756 everyoneG3956 has thisG3588 knowledgeG1108. SomeG5100 people are still so accustomedG4914G2193G737 to idolsG1497 that they eatG2068 such food as ifG5613 it were sacrificed to an idolG1494. AndG2532 since theirG846 conscienceG4893 isG1510 weakG772, it is defiledG3435. 8ButG1161 foodG1033 does not bring us closerG3756G3936G1473 toG3588 GodG2316: We are no worseG5302 ifG1437 we do not eatG3361G5315, and noG3361 better ifG1437 we doG5315.

9Be carefulG991, howeverG1161, that yourG4771 freedomG1849 does not becomeG3361G4459G1096 a stumbling blockG4348 to theG3588 weakG772. 10ForG1063 ifG1437 someoneG5100 with a weakG772 conscienceG4893 seesG3708 youG4771 whoG3588 are well informedG2192G1108 eatingG2621 inG1722 an idol’s templeG1493, will he notG3780 beG1510 encouragedG3618 toG1519 eatG2068 food sacrificed to idolsG1494? 11So this weakG770 brotherG80, forG1223 whomG3739 ChristG5547 diedG599, is destroyedG622 byG1722 yourG4674 knowledgeG1108. 12By sinningG264 againstG1519 your brothersG80 in this wayG3779 andG2532 woundingG5180 theirG846 weakG770 conscienceG4893, you sinG264 againstG1519 ChristG5547.

13ThereforeG1355, ifG1487 what I eat causesG4624 myG1473 brother to stumbleG80, I will never eatG3756G3361G5315 meatG2907 again, so thatG2443 I will not causeG3361G4624 him to stumbleG1473G80.