Food Offered to Idols

¹Now as concerning food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge produces arrogance, but love edifies.[#Ac 15:20; 1Co 8:4, 7]

²So if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.[#1Co 3:18; 13:8–9]

³But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.[#Ex 33:12; Gal 4:9]

⁴So concerning the eating of foods that are offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.[#Dt 4:39; 6:4]

⁵For there are those who are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, as there are many gods and many lords.[#2Th 2:4]

⁶But for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist. And there is one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.[#Mal 2:10; #Jn 1:3; Ro 11:36]

⁷However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat the food as a thing offered to an idol. So their weak conscience is defiled.[#Ro 14:14; 1Co 8:9–10]

⁸But food does not commend us to God. Neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.[#Ro 14:17]

⁹But take heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to those who are weak.[#Ro 14:1–2, 20–21; Gal 5:13]

¹⁰For if anyone sees you, who have knowledge, eating in the idol’s temple, shall the conscience of him who is weak not be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols,

¹¹and by your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?[#Ro 14:15; 1Co 8:13]

¹²When you thus sin against the brothers, wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.[#Mt 18:6; 25:45]

¹³Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to stumble.[#Ro 14:21; 2Co 11:29]