1 Corinthians 8

1 Now about things offered to images: we all seem to ourselves to have knowledge. Knowledge gives pride, but love gives true strength.

Now about “food sacrificed to idols.” So “we all have knowledge” about this subject. Knowledge makes us proud, but love strengthens us.

2 If anyone seems to himself to have knowledge, so far he has not the right sort of knowledge about anything;

If anyone thinks they know anything, they don't know as they really should know!

3 But if anyone has love for God, God has knowledge of him.

But whoever loves God is known by God…

4 So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

So regarding eating food sacrificed to idols: we know that there are no such things as idols in the world, and that there is only one real God.

5 For though there are those who have the name of gods, in heaven or on earth, as there are a number of gods and a number of lords,

Even though there are some things called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth—in fact there are many “gods” and “lords.”

6 There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him.

But for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom everything was made, and he is the goal of our existence; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was made, and he is the means of our existence.

7 Still, all men have not that knowledge: but some, being used till now to the image, are conscious that they are taking food which has been offered to the image; and because they are not strong in the faith, their minds are troubled.

But not everyone has this “knowledge.” Some who up to now have been so used to idols as a reality that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience (which is weak) tells them they have defiled themselves.

8 But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better.

But food doesn't gain us God's approval! If we don't eat this food, we're not bad, and if we do eat this food, we're not good.

9 But take care that this power of yours does not give cause for trouble to the feeble.

Just take care not to use this freedom you have to eat food sacrificed to idols to become offensive to those with a weaker attitude.

10 For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, taking food as a guest in the house of an image, will it not give him, if he is feeble, the idea that he may take food offered to images?

If another believer sees you who have such “better knowledge” eating food in an idol temple, won't his weak conscience be convinced to eat food sacrificed to idols?

11 And so, through your knowledge, you are the cause of destruction to your brother, for whom Christ underwent death.

By your “better knowledge” the weaker believer is destroyed, a believer for whom Christ died.

12 And in this way, doing evil to the brothers, and causing trouble to those whose faith is feeble, you are sinning against Christ.

In this way you sin against other believers, wounding their weaker consciences, and you sin against Christ.

13 For this reason, if food is a cause of trouble to my brother, I will give up taking meat for ever, so that I may not be a cause of trouble to my brother. (aiōn g165)

So if eating food sacrificed to idols would cause my fellow believer to stumble, I will never eat such meat ever again, so that I don't offend any believer. (aiōn g165)