1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3 But anyone who loves God is known by him. 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. 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”— 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. 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. 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. 9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 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? 11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 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.
1 Corinthians · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
1 Corinthians 8 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
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)