New English Translation
1 Corinthians 10:23
23“Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up.
1 Corinthians 10:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
- New International Version (NIV)“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.
- New King James Version (NKJV)All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Context of 1 Corinthians 10:23
21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take part in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we really stronger than he is? “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds others up. 24Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person. 25Eat anything that is sold in the marketplace without questions of conscience,
Read all of 1 Corinthians 101 Corinthians 10:23 word by word
Πάντα ἔξεστιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντα συμφέρει· πάντα ἔξεστιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντα οἰκοδομεῖ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 10:23
- 1 Corinthians 6:12“All things are lawful for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “All things are lawful for me” – but I will not be controlled by anything.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak.
- Romans 14:15For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.
- Romans 14:19So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
- Romans 15:1But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19Have you been thinking all this time that we have been defending ourselves to you? We are speaking in Christ before God, and everything we do, dear friends, is to build you up.
- Ephesians 4:29You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
- 1 Timothy 1:4nor to occupy themselves with myths and interminable genealogies. Such things promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan that operates by faith.
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23All things are lawful for me - I may lawfully eat all kinds of food, but all are not expedient; · It would not be becoming in me to eat of all, because I should by this offend and grieve many weak minds. See the notes on 1 Corinthians 6:12, etc.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23All things are lawful for me - See the note at 1 Corinthians 6:12. This is a repetition of what he had said before; and it is here applied to the subject of eating the meat that had been offered to idols. The sense is,” Though it may be admitted that it was strictly “lawful” to partake of that meat, yet there were strong reasons why it was inexpedient; and those reasons ought to have the binding force of law.” All things edify not - All things do not tend…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 23-33Verses 23-33 There were cases wherein Christians might eat what had been offered to idols, without sin. Such as when the flesh was sold in the market as common food, for the priest to whom it had been given. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. Christianity by no means forbids the common offices of kindness, or allows uncourteous behaviour to any, however they may differ from us in religious…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-24"Everything is permissible": Paul is likely quoting a common saying among the Corinthians and explaining it. Paul clarifies a Christian’s freedom by stressing the importance of doing what benefits others (see 6:12; 10:32–33; Romans 14:13–15, 19–21; 15:1–2; compare Philippians 2:3–4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. All things are lawful for me, &c.--Recurring to the Corinthian plea (1Co 6:12), he repeats his qualification of it. The oldest manuscripts omit both times "for me." edify not--tend not to build up the spiritual temple, the Church, in faith and love. Paul does not appeal to the apostolic decision (Ac 15:1-29), which seems to have been not so much regarded outside of Palestine, but rather to the broad principle of true Christian freedom, which does not…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Corinthians 10:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Corinthians 10
- 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
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- 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
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