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.”
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God.

Context of 1 Corinthians 8:4

2If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 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." 5For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"— 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

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 do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
• Isaiah 41:24Behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing; an abomination is he who chooses you.
• Isaiah 44:8Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any."
• Jeremiah 10:14Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
• Jeremiah 51:17Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them.
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.
• Acts 19:26And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods.
• 1 Corinthians 8:6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
• Deuteronomy 3:24'O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours?
• Deuteronomy 4:39know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.
• Deuteronomy 6:4"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
• Deuteronomy 32:39"'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
• Isaiah 37:16"O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.
• Isaiah 44:6Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
• Isaiah 45:5I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip 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