1 Corinthians 8

1Concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

2If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

3But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

4Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God except one.

5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many gods and many lords—

6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we for him, and one Lord, Jesus the Messiah, through whom are all things and we through him.

7But not everyone has this knowledge. Some, through familiarity with the idol until now, eat it as food sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

8But food will not commend us to God; for neither if we eat do we abound, nor if we do not eat do we lack.

9But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

10For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, reclining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, being weak, be built up to eat food sacrificed to idols?

11For the weak one is destroyed by your knowledge—the brother for whom Messiah died.

12And so, by sinning against the brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you are sinning against Messiah.

13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will certainly never eat meat forever, so that I may not cause my brother to stumble.