1 Corinthians · American Standard Version (1901)
1 Corinthians 8 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
ASV American Standard Version (1901)
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.
1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Περὶ δὲ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων, οἴδαμεν ὅτι πάντες γνῶσιν ἔχομεν.
2 If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know;
2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know.
2 ἡ γνῶσις φυσιοῖ, ἡ δὲ ἀγάπη οἰκοδομεῖ. εἰ δέ τις δοκεῖ εἰδέναι τι, οὐδέπω οὐδὲν ἔγνωκε καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι·
3 but if any man loveth God, the same is known by him.
3 But anyone who loves God is known by him.
3 εἰ δέ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν Θεόν, οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.
4 Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is [anything] in the world, and that there is no God but one.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.
4 Περὶ τῆς βρώσεως οὖν τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὐδὲν εἴδωλον ἐν κόσμῳ, καὶ ὅτι οὐδεὶς Θεὸς ἕτερος εἰ μὴ εἷς.
5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many;
5 For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—
5 καὶ γὰρ εἴπερ εἰσὶ λεγόμενοι θεοὶ εἴτε ἐν οὐρανῷ εἴτε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὥσπερ εἰσὶ θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί,
6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him.
6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
6 ἀλλ᾽ ἡμῖν εἷς Θεὸς ὁ πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς αὐτόν, καὶ εἷς Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, δι᾽ οὗ τὰ πάντα καὶ ἡμεῖς δι᾽ αὐτοῦ.
7 Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as [of] a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
7 However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
7 Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡ γνῶσις· τινὲς δὲ τῇ συνειδήσει τοῦ εἰδώλου ἕως ἄρτι ὡς εἰδωλόθυτον ἐσθίουσι, καὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτῶν ἀσθενὴς οὖσα μολύνεται.
8 But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.
8 But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat are we the worse, nor if we eat are we the better.
8 βρῶμα δὲ ἡμᾶς οὐ παρίστησι τῷ Θεῷ· οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν φάγωμεν περισσεύομεν, οὔτε ἐὰν μὴ φάγωμεν ὑστερούμεθα.
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak.
9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.
9 βλέπετε δὲ μήπως ἡ ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν.
10 For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
10 For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
10 ἐὰν γάρ τις ἴδῃ σε, τὸν ἔχοντα γνῶσιν, ἐν εἰδωλείῳ κατακείμενον, οὐχὶ ἡ συνείδησις αὐτοῦ ἀσθενοῦς ὄντος οἰκοδομηθήσεται εἰς τὸ τὰ εἰδωλόθυτα ἐσθίειν;
11 For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
11 καὶ ἀπολεῖται ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ γνώσει, δι᾽ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν.
12 And thus, sinning against the brethren, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ye sin against Christ.
12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
12 οὕτω δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τύπτοντες αὐτῶν τὴν συνείδησιν ἀσθενοῦσαν εἰς Χριστὸν ἁμαρτάνετε.
13 Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble.
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
13 διόπερ εἰ βρῶμα σκανδαλίζει τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, οὐ μὴ φάγω κρέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀδελφόν μου σκανδαλίσω.
Cross references (13)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 1 Corinthians 8:7; Isaiah 5:21; Romans 14:3; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Revelation 2:14
- 2 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 6:3; Proverbs 26:12; 1 Timothy 6:3–4
- 3 Revelation 3:8–9; Exodus 33:17; Nahum 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 Corinthians 2:9
- 4 Deuteronomy 4:39; 1 Corinthians 10:19–20; Ephesians 4:6; Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Timothy 2:5
- 5 Galatians 4:8; Jeremiah 2:28; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Jeremiah 11:13; Jeremiah 2:11
- 6 Romans 11:36; John 1:3; Malachi 2:10; Hebrews 1:2–3; Colossians 1:16–17
- 7 Romans 14:14; 1 Corinthians 10:28–29; 1 Corinthians 8:9–10; Romans 14:22–23; 1 Corinthians 1:10–11
- 8 Romans 14:17; Hebrews 13:9; 1 Corinthians 6:13; Colossians 2:20–23
- 9 Galatians 5:13; Romans 14:20–21; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 2:19; Romans 14:1–2
- 10 1 Corinthians 10:28–29; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Romans 14:23; 1 Corinthians 10:20–21; 1 Corinthians 8:1–2
- 11 Romans 14:15; Romans 15:1–3; 1 Corinthians 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1; Romans 14:20–21
- 12 Matthew 18:6; Matthew 25:45; 1 Corinthians 12:12; 1 Samuel 2:25; Acts 9:4–5
- 13 Romans 14:21; 2 Corinthians 11:29; 2 Corinthians 6:3; 1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 13:5
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
It is necessary first to say what the meaning of this passage is: for so shall we readily comprehend the Apostle's discourse. For he that sees a charge brought against any one, except he first perceive the nature of the offence will not understand what is said. What then is it of which he was then accusing the Corinthians?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 12 (1889)
And for this reason Paul exclaimed, "Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth:" not that he meant to inveigh against a true knowledge of God, for in that case he would have accused himself; but, because he knew that some, puffed up by the pretence of knowledge, fall away from the love of God, and imagine that they themselves are perfect, …
For now, filled with my punishment, I had begun to desire to seem wise; yet mourned I not, but rather was puffed up with knowledge. For where was that charity building upon the "foundation" of humility, "which is Jesus Christ"?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
He again, to put an end to his fears and the other's disputatiousness, says, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink." Is it by these, he means, that we are to be approved? As he says in another passage too, "Neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse." …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; yet to us there is One God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and One Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)