1 Corinthians 8:1-11

Wycliffe Bible

8 But of these things that be sacrificed to idols, we know, for all we have knowing. But knowing bloweth, charity edifieth [Soothly science, or knowing, in-bloweth with pride, charity edifieth].

² But if any man guesseth [Forsooth if any man guess, or deem], that he knoweth any thing, he hath not yet known how it behooveth him to know.

³ And if any man loveth God, this is known of him.

⁴ But of meats that be offered to idols, we know, that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

⁵ For though there be some that be said gods [For why though there be that be said gods], either in heaven, either in earth, as there be many gods, and many lords;

⁶ nevertheless to us is one God, the Father, of whom be all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom be all things, and we by him.

⁷ But not in all men is knowing. For some men with conscience of idol till now eat as thing offered to idols; and their conscience is defouled, for it is frail [when it is sick].

⁸ [Forsooth] Meat commendeth us not to God; for neither we shall fail, if we eat not, neither if we eat, we shall have plenty [we shall abound, or have plenty].

⁹ But see ye, lest peradventure this your leave be made hurting to frail men. [See ye forsooth, lest peradventure this your license, or leave, be made hurting, or offence, to sick men, or frail.]

¹⁰ For if any man shall see him, that hath knowing, eating in a place where idols be worshipped, whether his conscience, since it is frail [since it is sick], shall not be edified to eat things offered to idols?

¹¹ And the frail brother [And the sick brother], for whom Christ died, shall perish in thy knowing.

¹² For thus ye sinning against brethren, and smiting their frail conscience [and smiting their sick conscience], sin against Christ.

¹³ Wherefore if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I shall never eat flesh, lest I cause my brother to stumble. [Wherefore if meat causeth my brother to offend, I shall not eat flesh into without end, lest I cause my brother to offend.]

9 Whether I am not free? Am I not apostle? Whether I saw not Jesus Christ, our Lord? Whether ye be not my work in the Lord?

² And though to others I am not apostle, but nevertheless to you I am; for ye be the little sign of mine apostlehood [for why ye be the signal, or little sign, of mine apostlehood] in the Lord.

³ My defence to them that ask me, that is. [My defence to them that ask me, is this].

⁴ Whether we have not power to eat and drink?

⁵ Whether we have not power to lead about a woman, a sister, as also other apostles, and brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

⁶ Or I alone and Barnabas have not power to work these things?

⁷ Who travaileth any time with his own wages? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of his fruit? Who keepeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?^[a]

⁸ Whether after man I say these things? whether also the law saith not these things?

⁹ For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not bind [up] the mouth of the ox that thresheth. Whether of oxen is charge to God?

¹⁰ Whether for us he saith these things? For why those be written for us [For why for us they be written]; for he that ploweth, oweth to plow in hope, and he that thresheth, in hope to take fruits.

¹¹ If we sow spiritual things to you, is it great, if we reap your fleshly things?

¹² If others be partners of your power, why not rather we? But we use not this power, but we suffer all things, that we give no hindering [that we give no letting] to the evangel of Christ.

¹³ Know ye not, that they that work in the temple, eat those things that be of the temple [Know ye not, that they that work in the sanctuary, eat those things that be of the sanctuary], and they that serve to the altar, be partners of the altar?

¹⁴ So [and] the Lord ordained to them that tell the gospel, to live of the gospel.

¹⁵ But I used none of these things; and I wrote not these things, that they be done so in me; for it is good rather for me to die, than that any man should make my rejoicing void [than that any man void my glory].

¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, glory is not to me, for need-like I must do it^[b]; for woe to me, if I preach not the gospel.

¹⁷ But if I do this thing willfully, I have meed; but if against my will, dispensing is betaken to me. [Forsooth if I willing do this thing, I have meed; soothly if against my will, dispensation is betaken to me.]

¹⁸ What then is my meed? That I preaching the gospel, put the gospel without others' cost, that I use not my power in the gospel.^[c]

¹⁹ For why when I was free of all men, I made me servant of all men, to win the more men [that I should win more men].

²⁰ And to Jews I am made as a Jew, to win the Jews [that I should win Jews]; to them that be under the law, as I were under the law, when I was not under the law, to win them that were under the law [that I should win them that were under the law];

²¹ to them that were without law, as I were without law, when I was not without [the] law of God, but I was in the law of Christ, to win them that were without law [that I should win them that were without law].

²² I am made frail to frail men, to win frail men; to all men I am made all things, to make all men safe. [I am made sick to sick men, that I should win sick men; to all men I am made all things, that I should make all men safe.]

²³ But I do all things for the gospel, that I [should] be made partner of it.

²⁴ Know ye not, that they that run in a furlong, all run, but one taketh the prize? So run ye, that ye catch.

²⁵ Each man that striveth in fight, abstaineth him from all things; and they [forsooth], that they take a corruptible crown, but we an uncorrupt.

²⁶ Therefore I run so, not as to an uncertain thing; thus I fight, not as beating the air;

²⁷ but I chastise my body, and bring it into servage; lest peradventure when I preach to others [lest peradventure when I have preached to others], I myself be made reprovable.

10 Brethren, I will not, that ye not know [Soothly, brethren, I will not you to unknow], that all our fathers were under [a] cloud, and all passed the sea;

² and all were baptized in Moses, in the cloud and in the sea;

³ and all ate the same spiritual meat,

⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink; and they drank of the spiritual stone following them [forsooth they drank of the spiritual stone following them]; and the stone was Christ.

⁵ But not in full many of them it was well pleasant to God; for why they were cast down in [the] desert.

⁶ But these things were done in figure of us, that we be not coveters of evil things, as [and] they coveted.

⁷ Neither be ye made idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat to eat and drink, and they rose up to play [and they have risen up to play].

⁸ Neither do we fornication, as some of them did fornication, and three and twenty thousand were dead in one day [and three and twenty thousand fell, or died, in one day].

⁹ Neither tempt we Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished of serpents.

¹⁰ Neither grumble ye, as some of them grumbled, and they perished of a destroyer. [Neither grutch ye, as some of them grutched, and they perished of the waster, or destroyer.]

¹¹ And all these things fell to them in figure; but they be written to our amending, into whom the ends of the worlds be come [soothly they be written to our correction, or amending, into whom the ends of the world have come].

¹² Therefore he that guesseth him(self), that he standeth, see he, that he fall not. [And so he that guesseth him to stand, see, that he fall not.]

¹³ Temptation take not you, but man's temptation; for God is true, which shall not suffer you to be tempted above that that ye be able; but he shall make with temptation also purveyance, that ye be able to suffer [that ye may sustain].

¹⁴ Wherefore, ye most dear-worthy to me, flee ye from the worshipping of maumets [flee from worshipping of idols].

¹⁵ As to prudent men I speak, deem ye yourselves that thing that I say.

¹⁶ Whether the cup of blessing which we bless, is not the communing of Christ's blood? and whether the bread which we break, is not the part taking of the body of the Lord? [The cup of blessing which we bless, whether it is not the communing of Christ's blood? and the bread which we break, whether it is not the dealing, or part taking, of the body of the Lord?]

¹⁷ For we many be one bread and one body, all we that take part of one bread and of one cup.

¹⁸ See ye Israel after the flesh, whether they that eat sacrifices, be not partners of the altar?

¹⁹ What therefore say I, that a thing that is offered to idols is any thing, or that the idol is any thing?

²⁰ But those things that heathen men offer, they offer to devils, and not to God. But I will not, that ye be made fellows of fiends;

²¹ for ye be not able to drink the cup of the Lord [for ye may not drink the cup of the Lord], and the cup of fiends; ye be not able to be partners of the board of the Lord [ye may not be partners of the board of the Lord], and of the board of fiends.

²² Whether we have envy to the Lord? whether we be stronger than he?

²³ All things be leaveful to me, but not all things be speedful. All things be leaveful to me, but not all things edify.

²⁴ No man seek that thing that is his own, but that thing that is of another.

²⁵ All thing that is sold in the butchery, eat ye, asking nothing for conscience.

²⁶ The earth and the plenty of it, is the Lord's.

²⁷ If any of heathen men call you to supper [Forsooth if any of unfaithful, or heathen men, calleth you to supper], and ye will go, all thing that is set to you, eat ye, asking nothing for conscience.

²⁸ But if any man saith [If any man soothly say to you], This thing is offered to idols, do not ye eat, for him that showed [this thing], and for conscience;

²⁹ and I say not, thy conscience, but of another [man's]. But whereto is my freedom deemed of another man's conscience [Soothly whereto is my liberty, or freedom, deemed of another man's conscience]?

³⁰ Therefore if I take part with grace, what am I blasphemed, for that that I do thankings [for that that I do graces, or thankings]?

³¹ Therefore whether ye eat, or drink, or do any other thing, do ye all things to the glory of God.

³² Be ye without offence to Jews, and to heathen men, and to the church of God;

³³ as [and] I by all things please to all men, not seeking that that is profitable to me [not seeking what is profitable to me], but that that is profitable to many men, that they be made safe.

11 Be ye my followers, as [and] I am of Christ. [Be ye followers of me, as and I of Christ.]