1 Corinthians 8:4

1 Corinthians 8:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
• New International Version (NIV)So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

Context of 1 Corinthians 8:4

2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by him. About eating food sacrificed to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth — as there are many “gods” and many “lords” — 6yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.

1 Corinthians 8:4 word by word

Περὶ τῆς βρώσεως οὖν τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς θεὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• As concerningπερίperi · aboutG4012
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• the eatingβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idolsεἰδωλόθυτοςeidōlothuton · sacrificed to idolsG1494
• we knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• an idolεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• otherἕτεροςheteros · otherG2087
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• butεἰei · if: notG1487
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 8:4

• 1 Corinthians 10:19What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
• Isaiah 41:24Look, you are nothing and your work is worthless. Anyone who chooses you is detestable.
• Isaiah 44:8Do not be startled or afraid. Have I not told you and declared it long ago? You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me? There is no other Rock; I do not know any.
• Jeremiah 10:14Everyone is stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image, for his cast images are a lie; there is no breath in them.
• Jeremiah 51:17Everyone is stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image, for his cast images are a lie; there is no breath in them.
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to wood: Wake up! or to mute stone: Come alive! Can it teach? Look! It may be plated with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.
• Acts 19:26You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods.
• 1 Corinthians 8:6yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from him, and we exist for him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through him, and we exist through him.
• Deuteronomy 3:24Lord God, you have begun to show your greatness and your strong hand to your servant, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours?
• Deuteronomy 4:39Today, recognize and keep in mind that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other.
• Deuteronomy 6:4“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
• Deuteronomy 32:39See now that I alone am he; there is no God but me. I bring death and I give life; I wound and I heal. No one can rescue anyone from my power.
• Isaiah 37:16Lord of Armies, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you are God — you alone — of all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.
• Isaiah 44:6This is what the Lord, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, the Lord of Armies, says: I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.
• Isaiah 45:5I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God but me. I will strengthen you, though you do not know me,

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 8:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Things that are offered in sacrifice - See on the first verse, ( 1 Corinthians 8:1; (note)). An idol is nothing in the world - Dr. Lightfoot translates this, We know that there is no idol in the world; which he explains thus: , idol, is ̔, , , , , a likeness, an image, a sign, a character, a shadow: now signifies there is no idol, no representation of God, in the world. Images there are of stone, wood and metal; but none of these is any representation of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4As concerning therefore … - The parenthesis closes with 1 Corinthians 8:3. The apostle now proceeds to the real question in debate, and repeats in this verse the question, and the admission that all had knowledge. The admission that all had knowledge proceeds through 1 Corinthians 8:4-6; and in 1 Corinthians 8:7 he gives the answer to it. In 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 everything is admitted by Paul which they asked in regard to the real extent of their knowledge…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6In reality, the idols to which such meat is sacrificed are not gods, because there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; see also Deuteronomy 4:35, 39; 10:19–20). He is the Creator of everything, including the meat being sacrificed for the idols. The only ultimate reality is God, the Father, and the one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created (see also John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. As concerning, &c.--resuming the subject begun in 1Co 8:1, "As touching," &c. idol is nothing--has no true being at all, the god it represents is not a living reality. This does not contradict 1Co 10:20, which states that they who worship idols, worship devils; for here it is the Gods believed by the worshippers to be represented by the idols which are denied to have any existence, not the devils which really under the idols delude the worshippers…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Corinthians 8:4

• Fraternity
• God Continued...
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Charity
• Commend
• Offend
• Perish
• Touching
• Corinthians, First Epistle to the
• Food
• Jude, the Epistle of

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