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

7However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8Food will not bring us close to God. We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat. But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? 11So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Butδέde · thenG1161
• take heedβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• lest by any meansμήπωςmēpōs mē pōs · so thatG3381
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• libertyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• libertyἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
• of yoursσύsu · youG4771
• becomeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a stumblingblockπρόσκομμαproskomma · stumbling blockG4348
• that are weakἀσθενέωastheneō · be weak: weakG770

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 8:9

• 1 Corinthians 8:10For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols?
• 1 Corinthians 10:24No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.
• Matthew 18:6“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away — it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.
• Luke 17:1He said to his disciples, “Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
• Romans 14:20Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.
• Galatians 5:13For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
• 1 Peter 2:16Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
• 2 Peter 2:19They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God,
• Leviticus 19:14Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you are to fear your God; I am the Lord.
• Isaiah 57:14He said, “Build it up, build it up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people’s way.”
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and have put their sinful stumbling blocks in front of themselves. Should I actually let them inquire of me?
• Ezekiel 44:12Because they ministered to the house of Israel before their idols and became a sinful stumbling block to them, therefore I swore an oath against them” — this is the declaration of the Lord God — “that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity.
• Romans 14:13Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
• 1 Corinthians 8:12Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning 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