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

7But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled. 8Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” to eat food offered to idols? 11So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed.

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 weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” to eat food offered to idols?
• 1 Corinthians 10:24Do not seek your own good, but the good of the other person.
• Matthew 18:6“But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a huge millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea.
• Luke 17:1Jesus said to his disciples, “Stumbling blocks are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
• Romans 14:20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.
• Galatians 5:13For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
• 1 Peter 2:16Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.
• 2 Peter 2:19Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.
• 1 Corinthians 10:32Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God,
• Leviticus 19:14You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.
• Isaiah 57:14He says, “Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
• Ezekiel 14:3“Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me?
• Ezekiel 44:12Because they used to minister to them before their idols, and became a sinful obstacle to the house of Israel, consequently I have made a vow concerning them, declares the sovereign Lord, that they will be responsible for their sin.
• Romans 14:13Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
• Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
• 1 Corinthians 8:12If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin 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