1 karinthinaḥ 8

1 devaprasāde sarvveṣām asmākaṁ jñānamāste tadvayaṁ vidmaḥ| tathāpi jñānaṁ garvvaṁ janayati kintu premato niṣṭhā jāyate|

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

2 ataḥ kaścana yadi manyate mama jñānamāsta iti tarhi tena yādṛśaṁ jñānaṁ ceṣṭitavyaṁ tādṛśaṁ kimapi jñānamadyāpi na labdhaṁ|

But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

3 kintu ya īśvare prīyate sa īśvareṇāpi jñāyate|

But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.

4 devatābaliprasādabhakṣaṇe vayamidaṁ vidmo yat jaganmadhye ko'pi devo na vidyate, ekaśceśvaro dvitīyo nāstīti|

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one.

5 svarge pṛthivyāṁ vā yadyapi keṣucid īśvara iti nāmāropyate tādṛśāśca bahava īśvarā bahavaśca prabhavo vidyante

For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;"

6 tathāpyasmākamadvitīya īśvaraḥ sa pitā yasmāt sarvveṣāṁ yadarthañcāsmākaṁ sṛṣṭi rjātā, asmākañcādvitīyaḥ prabhuḥ sa yīśuḥ khrīṣṭo yena sarvvavastūnāṁ yenāsmākamapi sṛṣṭiḥ kṛtā|

yet to us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus (the) Messiah, through whom are all things, and we live through him.

7 adhikantu jñānaṁ sarvveṣāṁ nāsti yataḥ kecidadyāpi devatāṁ sammanya devaprasādamiva tad bhakṣyaṁ bhuñjate tena durbbalatayā teṣāṁ svāntāni malīmasāni bhavanti|

However, not all have this knowledge. But some, being so accustomed to idols until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

8 kintu bhakṣyadravyād vayam īśvareṇa grāhyā bhavāmastannahi yato bhuṅktvā vayamutkṛṣṭā na bhavāmastadvadabhuṅktvāpyapakṛṣṭā na bhavāmaḥ|

But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we do not eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

9 ato yuṣmākaṁ yā kṣamatā sā durbbalānām unmāthasvarūpā yanna bhavet tadarthaṁ sāvadhānā bhavata|

But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.

10 yato jñānaviśiṣṭastvaṁ yadi devālaye upaviṣṭaḥ kenāpi dṛśyase tarhi tasya durbbalasya manasi kiṁ prasādabhakṣaṇa utsāho na janiṣyate?

For if someone sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol's temple, won't his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

11 tathā sati yasya kṛte khrīṣṭo mamāra tava sa durbbalo bhrātā tava jñānāt kiṁ na vinaṁkṣyati?

And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whom the Messiah died.

12 ityanena prakāreṇa bhrātṛṇāṁ viruddham aparādhyadbhisteṣāṁ durbbalāni manāṁsi vyāghātayadbhiśca yuṣmābhiḥ khrīṣṭasya vaiparītyenāparādhyate|

Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Messiah.

13 ato hetoḥ piśitāśanaṁ yadi mama bhrātu rvighnasvarūpaṁ bhavet tarhyahaṁ yat svabhrātu rvighnajanako na bhaveyaṁ tadarthaṁ yāvajjīvanaṁ piśitaṁ na bhokṣye| (aiōn g165)

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forevermore, that I do not cause my brother to stumble. (aiōn g165)