1 Corinthians 10:28
New International Version
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.

New Living Translation
(But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you.

English Standard Version
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—

Berean Standard Bible
But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—

Berean Literal Bible
But if anyone should say to you, "This is offered to an idol," do not eat, on account of him having shown it, and conscience--

King James Bible
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

New King James Version
But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the LORD ’s, and all its fullness.”

New American Standard Bible
But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and for the sake of conscience;

NASB 1995
But if anyone says to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake;

NASB 1977
But if anyone should say to you, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake;

Legacy Standard Bible
But if anyone says to you, “This is meat consecrated to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake.

Amplified Bible
But if anyone says to you, “This meat has been offered in sacrifice to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’s sake—

Christian Standard Bible
But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience sake.

American Standard Version
But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake:

English Revised Version
But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
However, if someone says to you, "This was sacrificed to a god," don't eat it because of the one who informed you and because of conscience.

Good News Translation
But if someone tells you, "This food was offered to idols," then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake--

International Standard Version
However, if someone says to you, "This was offered as a sacrifice," don't eat it, both out of consideration for the one who told you and also for the sake of conscience.

Majority Standard Bible
But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof—

NET Bible
But if someone says to you, "This is from a sacrifice," do not eat, because of the one who told you and because of conscience--

New Heart English Bible
But if anyone says to you, "This was offered to idols," do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if any man shall say to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness:

Weymouth New Testament
But if any one tells you, "This food has been offered in sacrifice;" abstain from eating it--out of respect for him who warned you, and, as before, for conscience' sake.

World English Bible
But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, with all its fullness.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and if anyone may say to you, “This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,” do not eat, because of that one who showed [it], and of the conscience, for the LORD’s [is] the earth and its fullness:

Berean Literal Bible
But if anyone should say to you, "This is offered to an idol," do not eat, on account of him having shown it, and conscience--

Young's Literal Translation
and if any one may say to you, 'This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,' -- do not eat, because of that one who shewed it, and of the conscience, for the Lord's is the earth and its fulness:

Smith's Literal Translation
And if any one say to you, This is sacrificed to an idol, eat not, for him making it known, and consciousness: for of the Lord the earth, and its fulness:
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it for his sake that told it, and for conscience' sake.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if anyone says, “This has been sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.

New American Bible
But if someone says to you, “This was offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it on account of the one who called attention to it and on account of conscience;

New Revised Standard Version
But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if any man say to you, This meat has been offered as a sacrifice, then do not eat it for the sake of him who told you and for conscience sake.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But if a man should say to you, “This has been sacrificed”, you should not eat because of that which he said to you and because of conscience.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But if any one say to you: This is sacrificed to idols; eat not, for the sake of him that pointed it out, and for conscience sake:

Godbey New Testament
But if any one may say to you; This is offered to an idol, eat not, on account of him who gave the information, and his conscience.

Haweis New Testament
But if any person say unto you, This is an idol?s sacrifice, eat not of it, for his sake who pointed it out, and for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord?s, and the fulness thereof.

Mace New Testament
but if any man say to you, this is offered in sacrifice to an idol, don't eat, for his sake that mentioned it, and for conscience sake.

Weymouth New Testament
But if any one tells you, "This food has been offered in sacrifice;" abstain from eating it--out of respect for him who warned you, and, as before, for conscience' sake.

Worrell New Testament
But, if anyone says to you, "This is the remains of an idol-sacrifice." eat it not, for his sake that showed it, and because of conscience:

Worsley New Testament
But if any one say to you, This hath been sacrificed to an idol,---eat it not; for his sake who informed thee, and for conscience-sake: for, as I said, the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof, so that thou mayst have food enough without it.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
All to God's Glory
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience— 29the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?…

Cross References
Romans 14:14-23
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. / If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died. / Do not allow what you consider good, then, to be spoken of as evil. ...

Acts 15:29
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

1 Corinthians 8:7-13
But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. / But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. / Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ...

1 Corinthians 6:12
“Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. / To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. / To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. ...

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Romans 14:1-3
Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions. / For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. / The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.

Romans 14:20-21
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to let his eating be a stumbling block. / It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.

Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.

Colossians 2:16-17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath. / These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.

Matthew 15:11
A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”

Mark 7:18-19
“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

1 Peter 2:16
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

1 John 3:20-21
Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. / Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God,

Leviticus 11:44-47
For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any creature that crawls along the ground. / For I am the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt so that I would be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. / This is the law regarding animals, birds, all living creatures that move in the water, and all creatures that crawl along the ground. ...


Treasury of Scripture

But if any man say to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof:

eat.

1 Corinthians 8:10-13
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; …

Romans 14:15
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

for.

1 Corinthians 10:26
For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

Exodus 9:29
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S.

Deuteronomy 10:14
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

Jump to Previous
Abstain Account Conscience Earth Eat Eating Food Fullness Fulness Holy Idol Idols Informed Lord's Meat Offered Offering Pointed Purposes Right Sacrifice Sacrificed Sake Sense Shewed Showed Tells Thereof Used Wrong
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Abstain Account Conscience Earth Eat Eating Food Fullness Fulness Holy Idol Idols Informed Lord's Meat Offered Offering Pointed Purposes Right Sacrifice Sacrificed Sake Sense Shewed Showed Tells Thereof Used Wrong
1 Corinthians 10
1. The sacraments of the Jews are types of ours;
7. and their punishments,
11. examples for us.
13. We must flee from idolatry.
21. We must not make the Lord's table the table of demons;
24. and in all things we must have regard for our brothers.














But if someone tells you
This phrase introduces a hypothetical situation that Paul anticipates. The Greek word for "someone" (τις, tis) is indefinite, suggesting any person, whether a believer or not, who might inform you about the food's origin. The context here is communal and relational, emphasizing the importance of being aware of the impact of one's actions on others. Historically, Corinth was a city with diverse religious practices, and meat offered to idols was a common issue. Paul is addressing the need for sensitivity and awareness in social interactions, especially in a multicultural and multi-religious setting.

This food was offered to idols
The phrase directly addresses the issue of food sacrificed to idols, a prevalent practice in Corinth. The Greek term for "offered to idols" (εἰδωλόθυτον, eidolothuton) refers to food that has been part of a pagan ritual. In the early church, this was a contentious issue, as eating such food could imply participation in idol worship. Archaeological findings in Corinth reveal temples and marketplaces where such practices were common. Paul is not concerned with the intrinsic nature of the food but with the perception and potential stumbling block it could create for others.

then do not eat it
Paul's instruction is clear and direct. The Greek imperative (μὴ φάγε, mē phage) is a command to abstain. This reflects a principle of love and consideration over personal freedom. The act of refraining is not about legalism but about prioritizing the spiritual well-being of others. In a conservative Christian perspective, this aligns with the call to live sacrificially and to put others' needs above one's own desires, echoing Christ's example.

for the sake of the one who told you
This phrase highlights the relational aspect of Paul's teaching. The Greek word for "sake" (χάριν, charin) implies a reason or cause. The focus is on the other person's conscience and understanding. In a historical context, this could refer to a fellow believer who is weaker in faith or a non-believer who might misunderstand the Christian's actions. The emphasis is on being a witness and not causing confusion or offense.

and for the sake of conscience
Here, "conscience" (συνείδησις, syneidēsis) is a key term. It refers to the moral consciousness or awareness of right and wrong. Paul is concerned with both the conscience of the one who informs and the broader community. The historical context of Corinth, with its diverse beliefs, required Christians to navigate their freedom with wisdom and love. From a conservative Christian perspective, this underscores the importance of living a life that reflects Christ's love and avoids causing others to stumble in their faith journey.

(28) But if any man. . . .--If, however, some weak brother present points out that it is sacrificial meat, do not eat for his sake and for conscience sake (see 1Corinthians 10:29). Here your personal liberty is to be modified by the principle mentioned in 1Corinthians 10:24. If the weak brother see you eat the flesh which he has just informed you was used as a sacrifice, he may be led by your example to eat it himself, though the very fact of his having called your attention to it showed that he thinks it wrong, and so his conscience is defiled.

The word (hierothuton) here used (according to the best MSS.) for "offered to an idol" is different from the condemnatory word (eidolothuton) elsewhere used; as natural courtesy would lead a Christian at the table of a heathen to use an epithet which would not be offensive to his host. A lesson in controversy--Don't conceal your conscientious convictions, but don't express them in language unnecessarily painful to your opponent.

The repetition of the words "The earth is the Lord's," &c., in this verse is an interpolation not found in the best MSS., and tends to interrupt the thought which is carried on in 1Corinthians 10:29.

Verse 28. - But if any man say unto you. Who is the "any man" is left undefined. Perhaps some "weak" Christian is meant, who happens to be a fellow guest. This is offered in sacrifice unto idols. The true reading is probably, hierothuton, sacred sacrifice, not eidolothuton, idol sacrifice. Perhaps there is a touch of delicate reserve in the word, implying that the remark is made at the table of heathens, who would be insulted by the word eidolothuton, sacrificed to idols. Whoever the interlocutor is supposed to be - heathen host or Christian guest - the mere fact of attention being drawn to the food as forming part of a heathen sacrifice is enough to make it your duty to give no overt sanction to idolatry. In that case, therefore, you ought to refuse it. It will be seen how gross was the calumny which asserted that St. Paul taught men to be indifferent about eating things offered to idols. He only taught indifference in cases where idolatry could not be directly involved in the question. He only repudiates the idle superstition that the food became inherently tainted by such a consecration when the eater was unaware of it. In later times, when the eating of such offerings was deliberately erected into a test of apostasy, he would have used language as strong against every semblance of compliance as any which was used by St. John himself or by Justin Martyr. Difference of time and circumstances necessarily involves a difference in the mode of viewing matters which in themselves are unimportant. For the earth is the Lord's. It is doubtful whether the repetition of this clause is genuine. It is omitted by all the best uncials.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δέ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

someone
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

tells
εἴπῃ (eipē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

you,
ὑμῖν (hymin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

“This [food]
Τοῦτο (Touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

was
ἐστιν (estin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

offered to idols,”
ἱερόθυτόν (hierothyton)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1494: Neuter of a compound of eidolon and a presumed derivative of thuo; an image-sacrifice, i.e. Part of an idolatrous offering.

{then do} not
μὴ (mē)
Adverb
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

eat [it],
ἐσθίετε (esthiete)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.

for the sake of
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

the one
ἐκεῖνον (ekeinon)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

who
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

told [you]
μηνύσαντα (mēnysanta)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3377: Probably from the same base as massaomai and mnaomai; to disclose, i.e. Report, declare, intimate.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

for the sake of conscience—
συνείδησιν (syneidēsin)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4893: The conscience, a persisting notion. From a prolonged form of suneido; co-perception, i.e. Moral consciousness.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 10:28 But if anyone says to you This (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 10:27
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