1 Corinthians 8
1 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.
And concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love builds up;
2 If someone thinks that they know anything, they have not yet reached that knowledge which they ought to have reached.
and if anyone thinks to know anything, he has not yet known anything according as it is required to know;
3 On the other hand, if a person loves God, they are known by God.
and if anyone loves God, this one has been known by Him.
4 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.
Concerning the eating then of the things sacrificed to idols, we have known that an idol [is] nothing in the world, and that there is no other God except one;
5 Even supposing that there are so-called “gods” either in heaven or on earth – and there are many such “gods” and “lords” –
for even if there are those called gods, whether in Heaven, whether on earth—as there are many gods and many lords—
6 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).
yet to us [is] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we to Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom [are] all things, and we through Him;
7 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.
but not in all men [is] the knowledge, and certain with conscience of the idol, until now, eat [it] as a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 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.
But food does not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;
9 But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.
but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the weak,
10 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?
for if anyone may see you that have knowledge in an idol’s temple reclining to eat, will not his conscience—he being weak—be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to idols?
11 And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!
For the [one] being weak—the brother for whom Christ died—will perish by your knowledge.
12 In this way, by sinning against your fellow followers of the Lord and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.
And thus sinning in regard to the brothers, and striking their weak conscience—you sin in regard to Christ;
