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Concerning Idol Sacrifices

Now concerning idol sacrifices, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

Therefore concerning the eating of idol sacrifices, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. [a] For even if there are so-called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),

yet for us there is one God, the Father,[b]
    from whom are all things,
and we exist for Him;
and one Lord, Yeshua the Messiah,
    through whom are all things,
    and we exist through Him.

But that knowledge is not in everyone—some, so accustomed to idols up until now, eat food as an idol sacrifice; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food will not bring us before God. We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do eat. But watch out that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. [c] 10 For suppose someone sees you—who have this knowledge—dining in an idol’s temple. If his conscience is weak, won’t he be emboldened to eat idol sacrifices? 11 For the one who is weak is destroyed by your knowledge—the brother for whom Messiah died. 12 In this way, when you sin against the brothers and sisters and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Messiah. 13 For this reason, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I do not cause my brother to stumble.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 8:5 cf. Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4; some mss. say there is no other God but one.
  2. 1 Corinthians 8:6 cf. Deut. 6:4, Isa. 46:9; Jer. 10:6, 7; 1 Cor. 8:4, Mal. 2:10.
  3. 1 Corinthians 8:10 cf. Exod. 23:33.