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 any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know; 3but if any man loveth God, the same is known of him. Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many; 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we 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

• Concerningπερίperi · aboutG4012
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• eatingβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• ofθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• thingsεἰδωλόθυτοςeidōlothuton · sacrificed to idolsG1494
• toκαίkai · andG2532
• idolsεἴδωλονeidōlon · idolG1497
• weεἰei · if: notG1487
• knowεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• noοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520

Cross-references for 1 Corinthians 8:4

• 1 Corinthians 10:19What say I then? that a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
• Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
• Isaiah 41:24Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.
• Isaiah 44:8Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not declared unto thee of old, and shewed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.
• Jeremiah 10:14Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
• Jeremiah 51:17Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
• Habakkuk 2:19Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
• Acts 19:26And ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
• 1 Corinthians 8:6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
• Deuteronomy 3:24O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy strong hand: for what god is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy mighty acts?
• Deuteronomy 4:39Know therefore this day, and lay it to thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
• Deuteronomy 6:4Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD:
• Deuteronomy 32:39See now that I, even I, am he, And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I have wounded, and I heal: And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
• Isaiah 37:16O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, that sittest upon the cherubim, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven and earth.
• Isaiah 44:6Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts: I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
• Isaiah 45:5I am the LORD, and there is none else; beside me there is no God: I will gird thee, though thou hast not known 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