1 Corinthians 8 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Corinthians 8 ▼
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1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.
3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. But whoever loves God is known by God.
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.”
5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),
6 But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live. yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?
11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
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