Tree of Life Version
1 Corinthians 10:23
23“Everything is permitted”—but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted”—but not everything builds 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 partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we? “Everything is permitted”—but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted”—but not everything builds up. 24Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, without raising 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“Everything is permitted for me”—but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permitted for me”—but I will not be controlled by anything.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9But watch out that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
- Romans 14:15For if your brother is grieved on account of food, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy by your food the one for whom Messiah died.
- 1 Corinthians 8:1Now concerning idol sacrifices, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
- 1 Corinthians 14:3But one who prophesies speaks to people for building up, urging on, and uplifting.
- Romans 14:19So then let us pursue what makes for shalom and for the building up of one another.
- Romans 15:1Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the powerless and not just please ourselves.
- 2 Corinthians 12:19All along you’ve been thinking that we are defending ourselves to you. It is before God that we’ve been speaking in Messiah—and all for building you up, loved ones.
- Ephesians 4:29Let no harmful word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for building others up according to the need, so that it gives grace to those who hear it.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11Therefore encourage one another and build each other up—just as you in fact are doing.
- 1 Timothy 1:4or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These give rise to useless speculations rather than God’s training which is in faithfulness.
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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