Corinthios I 8
1 De iis autem, quæ idolis sacrificantur, scimus quia omnes scientiam habemus. Scientia inflat, charitas vero ædificat.
With reference to food that has been offered in sacrifice to idols – We are aware that all of us have knowledge! Knowledge breeds conceit, while love builds up character.
2 Si quis autem se existimat scire aliquid, nondum cognovit quemadmodum oporteat eum scire.
If someone thinks that they know anything, they have not yet reached that knowledge which they ought to have reached.
3 Si quis autem diligit Deum, hic cognitus est ab eo.
On the other hand, if a person loves God, they are known by God.
4 De escis autem, quæ idolis immolantur, scimus quia nihil est idolum in mundo, et quod nullus est Deus, nisi unus.
With reference, then, to eating food that has been offered to idols – we are aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 Nam etsi sunt qui dicantur dii sive in cælo, sive in terra (si quidem sunt dii multi, et domini multi):
Even supposing that there are so-called “gods” either in heaven or on earth – and there are many such “gods” and “lords” –
6 nobis tamen unus est Deus, Pater, ex quo omnia, et nos in illum: et unus Dominus Iesus Christus, per quem omnia, et nos per ipsum.
Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come (and for him we live), and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things come (and through him we live).
7 Sed non in omnibus est scientia. Quidam autem cum conscientia usque nunc idoli, quasi idolothytum manducant: et conscientia ipsorum cum sit infirma, polluitur.
Still, it is not everyone that has this knowledge. Some people, because of their association with idols, continued down to the present time, eat the food as food offered to an idol; and their consciences, while still weak, are dulled.
8 Esca autem nos non commendat Deo. Neque enim si manducaverimus, abundabimus: neque si non manducaverimus, deficiemus.
What we eat, however, will not bring us nearer to God. We lose nothing by not eating this food, and we gain nothing by eating it.
9 Videte autem ne forte hæc licentia vestra offendiculum fiat infirmis.
But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.
10 Si enim quis viderit eum, qui habet scientiam, in idolio recumbentem: nonne conscientia eius, cum sit infirma, ædificabitur ad manducandum idolothyta?
For if someone should see you who possess this knowledge, feasting in an idol’s temple, will not their conscience, if they are weak, become so hardened that they, too, will eat food offered to idols?
11 Et peribit infirmus in tua scientia frater, propter quem Christus mortuus est?
And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!
12 Sic autem peccantes in fratres, et percutientes conscientiam eorum infirmam, in Christum peccatis.
In this way, by sinning against your fellow followers of the Lord and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.
