I Corinthians 8
8
Be Sensitive to Conscience
1Now #Acts 15:20; 1 Cor. 8:4, 7, 10concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have #Rom. 14:14knowledge. #Rom. 14:3Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2And #(1 Cor. 13:8–12); Gal. 6:3; (1 Tim. 6:4)if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
4Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that #Is. 41:24an idol is nothing in the world, #Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4; 1 Cor. 8:6and that there is no other God but one. 5For even if there are #(John 10:34)so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6yet #Mal. 2:10; Eph. 4:6for us there is one God, the Father, #Acts 17:28of whom are all things, and we for Him; and #John 13:13; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 4:5; (1 Tim. 2:5)one Lord Jesus Christ, #John 1:3; (Col. 1:16, 17); Heb. 1:2through whom are all things, and #Rom. 5:11; Rev. 4:11; 5:9, 10through whom we live.
7However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, #(1 Cor. 10:28)with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is #Rom. 14:14, 22defiled. 8But #(Rom. 14:17)food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9But #Gal. 5:13beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become #Rom. 14:13, 21; 1 Cor. 10:28a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not #1 Cor. 10:28the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11And #Rom. 14:15, 20because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12But #Matt. 25:40when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, #Rom. 14:21; 1 Cor. 10:32; 2 Cor. 6:3; 11:29if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.