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.

Now as to things which have been sacrificed to idols. This is a subject which we already understand--because we all have knowledge of it. Knowledge, however, tends to make people conceited; it is love that builds us up.

2 If someone thinks that they know anything, they have not yet reached that knowledge which they ought to have reached.

If any one imagines that he already possesses any true knowledge, he has as yet attained to no knowledge of the kind to which he ought to have attained;

3 On the other hand, if a person loves God, they are known by God.

but if any one loves God, that man is known by God.

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.

As to eating things which have been sacrificed to idols, we are fully aware that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but 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 if so-called gods do exist, either in Heaven or on earth--and in fact there are many such gods and many such 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 we have but one God, the Father, who is the source of all things and for whose service we exist, and but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom we and all things exist.

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 all believers do not recognize these facts. Some, from force of habit in relation to the idol, even now eat idol sacrifices as such, and their consciences, being but weak, are polluted.

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.

It is true that a particular kind of food will not bring us into God's presence; we are neither inferior to others if we abstain from it, nor superior to them if we eat it.

9 But take care that this right of yours does not become in any way a stumbling-block to the weak.

But take care lest this liberty of yours should prove a hindrance to the progress of weak believers.

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 any one were to see you, who know the real truth of this matter, reclining at table in an idol's temple, would not his conscience (supposing him to be a weak believer) be emboldened to eat the food which has been sacrificed to the idol?

11 And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!

Why, your knowledge becomes the ruin of the weak believer--your brother, for whom Christ died!

12 In this way, by sinning against your fellow followers of the Lord and injuring their consciences, while still weak, you sin against Christ.

Moreover when you thus sin against the brethren and wound their weak consciences, you are, in reality, sinning against Christ.

13 Therefore, if what I eat makes a follower of the Lord fall, rather than make them fall, I will never eat meat again. (aiōn g165)

Therefore if what I eat causes my brother to fall, never again to the end of my days will I touch any kind of animal food, for fear I should cause my brother to fall. (aiōn g165)