The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 8 -

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; Romans 14:13–23)

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

If anyone thinks he knows something, that person does not yet know as he should know.

But if anyone loves God, that person is known by him.

So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “an idol in this world is nothing” and “that there is no God but one.”

For maybe so-called gods do exist, either in heaven or on earth, just as there are many “gods” and many “lords.”

Yet for us, “There is only one God, the Father, from him are all things, and for whom we live, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom all things exist, and through whom we exist.”

However, this knowledge is not in everyone. Instead, some previously practiced idol worship, and they eat this food as if it were something sacrificed to an idol. Their conscience is thereby corrupted because it is weak.

But food will not present us to God. We are not worse if we do not eat, nor better if we do eat it.

But take care that your freedom does not become a reason for someone who is weak in faith to stumble.

For suppose that someone sees you, who have knowledge, eating a meal in an idol’s temple. Is not his weak conscience emboldened to eat what is offered to idols?

So because of your understanding about the true nature of idols, the weaker one, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed.

Thus, when you sin against your brothers and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to fall.

(Ezekiel 14:1–11; Romans 14:13–23)

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

But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know.

But anyone who loves God is known by him.

Therefore 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.

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

yet 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.

However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

But 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.

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

For 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?

And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

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

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.