1 Corinthians 8
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1Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him. 4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many “gods” and many “lords”; 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him. 7However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. 9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if a man 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? 11And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
World English Bible (public domain)
“'But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.'”
1 Corinthians 8:9
Summary
In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul addresses the contentious issue of eating food sacrificed to idols, a practice that raised questions in the early Christian community in Corinth. He acknowledges that while many believers possess knowledge that 'an idol has no real existence,' this knowledge must be tempered with love and consideration for the conscience of weaker believers who might still associate these practices with idol worship. Paul emphasizes the danger of using knowledge in a way that leads others to sin, thereby wounding their fragile conscience. This chapter underscores the importance of love governing Christian freedom, as well as the responsibility of the stronger members to protect those who are weaker in faith, avoiding actions that could cause them to stumble.
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