1 Corinthians 8
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Concerning Food Sacrificed To Idols: Let Love Guide Your Exercise of “Rights”
8 Now concerning the foods-sacrificed-to-idols, we know that we all have knowledge[a]. Knowledge puffs-up, but love builds-up. 2 If anyone thinks that he has come-to-know anything, he did not-yet know as he ought-to know. 3 But if one loves[b] God, this one has been known by Him. 4 Therefore concerning the eating of the foods-sacrificed-to-idols— we know that an idol is nothing[c] in the world, and that there is no God except one. 5 For even if-indeed there are ones being called gods, whether in heaven or on earth— as-indeed there are many[d] gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is One God the Father, from Whom are all things, and we are[e] for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we are through Him. 7 But this knowledge is not in all people. But some, by the accustomed-habit[f] of the idol until now, eat this food as[g] food-sacrificed-to-an-idol. And their conscience, being weak, is stained[h]. 8 But food will not bring us[i] near[j] to God— neither if we do not eat are we lacking, nor if we eat are we abounding. 9 But be watching-out that this right[k] of yours does not somehow become an opportunity-for-stumbling to the weak ones. 10 For if someone sees you, the one having knowledge, reclining [to eat] in an idol-temple, will not his conscience, being weak, be built-up so as to eat the foods-sacrificed-to-idols? 11 For the one being weak is being destroyed[l] by your knowledge— the brother for the sake of whom Christ died! 12 And in this manner sinning against the brothers and striking[m] their conscience while being weak, you are sinning against Christ.
On The One Hand, I Will Not Do Anything That Hinders People’s Spiritual Advance
13 For-this-very-reason, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never eat meats, ever— in-order-that I may not cause my brother to fall.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 Before Paul gives the content of such knowledge in v 4-6, he corrects the spirit of such a statement.
- 1 Corinthians 8:3 Love is the heart of our relationship with God, not knowledge.
- 1 Corinthians 8:4 Or, that there is no idol (no genuine representation of any god).
- 1 Corinthians 8:5 Paul later calls them demons, 10:20.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6 Or, exist.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7 Or, habitual-use.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7 That is, as if the sacrifice, the eating, and the food still carry their old meanings.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7 Or, soiled, dirtied.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8 That is, us having knowledge, whose choices are the focus of the entire discussion in chapters 8-10.
- 1 Corinthians 8:8 Or, present us to God (for reward or judgment).
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 That is, this right to eat such food.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11 Or, ruined.
- 1 Corinthians 8:12 Or, assaulting, wounding.
1 Corinthians 8
EasyEnglish Bible
About food that people offer to idols
8 You asked me a question about food that people have offered to idols. You say, ‘We all know about these things.’ We know that is true. But when you know about something, that can make you proud. Love is better. Love helps people to become strong. 2 Some people may think that they know everything. People like that do not know as much as they ought to know. 3 But if somebody loves God, he is God's friend. God knows that person.
4 So think about food that people have offered to idols. You ask, ‘Should Christians eat that food?’ We know that no idol is really alive. We also know that there is only one God. 5 It is true that people call many things their gods. Those are things both in heaven and on earth. Those people have many gods and many lords. 6 But for us there is only one God, who is the Father. All things come from him. We live to serve him. For us, there is only one Lord, who is Jesus Christ. All things are there because of him. And we ourselves live because of him.
7 But not everyone understands properly about idols. Before they believed in Christ, some people worshipped idols for many years. So if they eat food that people have offered to an idol, they become afraid. They think that the food belongs to a real god. Their thoughts are weak. They think that they are doing something wrong. 8 But the food that we eat will not help us to please God. If we do not eat certain food, that will not make us worse. If we do eat that food, it will not make us better.
9 You are free to eat any kind of food. You understand that. But other Christians do not understand so well. So you must be careful. Do not cause them to do something that they think is wrong. 10 You may be eating food in a place where people worship idols. Then another Christian sees you there. You know that the idols are not real gods. But the other Christian may have weak thoughts about this. So, because he sees you, he may think that he can eat that food too. 11 Because you understand properly, you are hurting someone who does not understand so well. In that way, the life of your Christian friend has become completely spoiled. Remember that Christ died to save that friend. 12 If you do that kind of bad thing to hurt your Christian friends, you are hurting Christ himself. You are causing them to do something which they think is wrong. 13 I do not want to hurt any of my Christian friends. So, if the food that I eat causes them to do something wrong, I will never eat meat again.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
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