Food Offered to Idols

¹Now concerning1 mfood offered to idols: we know that n“all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” opuffs up, pbut love builds up. ²qIf anyone imagines that he knows something, rhe does not yet know as he ought to know. ³But if anyone loves God, she is known by God.2

⁴Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that t“an idol has no real existence,” and that u“there is no God but one.” ⁵For although there may be vso-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶yet wfor us there is one God, the Father, xfrom whom are all things and for whom we exist, and yone Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and zthrough whom we exist.

⁷However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, athrough former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and btheir conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸cFood will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹But take care dthat this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block eto the weak. ¹⁰For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating3 in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,4 if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹And so by your knowledge this weak person is fdestroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹²Thus, sinning against your brothers5 and gwounding their conscience when it is weak, hyou sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, iif food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.