Chapter 8
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.”1 Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
ΠερὶPeriConcerningG4012PREP εἰδωλοθύτων,eidōlothutōnidol-sacrifices,G1494A-GPN οἴδαμενoidamenwe knowG6063V-RAI-1P πάντεςpantesallG3956A-NPM γνῶσινgnōsinknowledgeG1108N-ASF ἔχομεν.echomenwe have.G2192V-PAI-1P γνῶσιςgnōsisKnowledgeG1108N-NSF φυσιοῖ,phusioipuffs up,G5448V-PAI-3S οἰκοδομεῖ.oikodomeibuilds up.G3618V-PAI-3S - Considered by many interpreters to be a slogan used by the Corinthians to justify their behavior
2 If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has not yet known as it is necessary to know.
δοκεῖdokeithinksG1380V-PAI-3S ἐγνωκέναιegnōkenaito have knownG1097V-RAN οὔπωoupōnot yetG3768ADV-N οὐδὲνoudenno [thing]G3762A-ASN ἔγνωegnōhe knewG1097V-2AAI-3S καθὼςkathōseven asG2531CONJ δεῖdeiit is necessaryG1163V-PAI-3S γνῶναι·gnōnaito know;G1097V-2AAN 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.
ἀγαπᾷagapalovesG0025V-PAI-3S θεόν,theonGod,G2316N-ASM-T ἔγνωσταιegnōstaihas knownG1097V-RPI-3S αὐτοῦ.¶autouHim.G0846P-GSM 4 Therefore, 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.”1
ΠερὶPeriConcerningG4012PREP βρώσεωςbrōseōseatingG1035N-GSF εἰδωλοθύτωνeidōlothutōnidol-sacrificesG1494A-GPN οἴδαμενoidamenwe knowG6063V-RAI-1P οὐδὲνoudenno [thing]G3762A-NSN εἴδωλονeidōlonan idolG1497N-NSN κόσμῳkosmō[the] worldG2889N-DSM ὅτιhotithat [there is]G3754GCONJ ἕτεροςheterosotherG2087A-NSM - Considered by many interpreters to be slogans used by the Corinthians to justify their behavior
5 For even if after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many gods and many lords,
εἴπερeiperif indeedG1487GCOND + G4007 εἰσὶνeisinthere areG1510V-PAI-3P λεγόμενοιlegomenoi[those] namedG3004HV-PPP-NPM οὐρανῷouranōheavenG3772N-DSM εἰσὶνeisinthere areG1510V-PAI-3P πολλοὶpolloimanyG4183A-NPM πολλοί·polloimany;G4183A-NPM 6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we are for him, and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we are through him.
εἷςheis[there is] oneG1520A-NSM πατὴρpatērFatherG3962N-NSM-T οὗhouwhom [are]G3739R-GSM τὰtathe [things]G3588T-NPN ἡμεῖςhēmeiswe ourselvesG3165P-1NP αὐτόν,autonHim,G0846P-ASM ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424GN-NSM-P ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547N-NSM-T οὗhouwhom [are]G3739R-GSM τὰtathe [things]G3588T-NPN ἡμεῖςhēmeiswe ourselvesG3165P-1NP αὐτοῦ.autouHim.G0846P-GSM 7 But this knowledge is not in everyone. But some, being accustomed until now to the idol, eat this food as food sacrificed to idols, and their conscience, because it1 is weak, is defiled.
πᾶσινpasinall [is]G3956A-DPM γνῶσις·gnōsisknowledge;G1108N-NSF συνηθείᾳsunētheiaby customG4914N-DSF εἰδώλουeidōlouidolG1497N-GSN εἰδωλόθυτονeidōlothutonan idol-sacrificeG1494A-ASN ἐσθίουσιν,esthiousineat,G2068V-PAI-3P συνείδησιςsuneidēsisconscienceG4893N-NSF αὐτῶνautōnof themG0846P-GPM ἀσθενὴςasthenēsweakG0772GA-NSF οὖσαousabeingG1510V-PAP-NSF μολύνεται.molunetaiit is defiled.G3435V-PPI-3S - *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal
8 But food does not bring us close to God. For neither if we eat do we have more, nor if we do not eat do we lack.1
παραστήσειparastēseiwill commendG3936V-FAI-3S θεῷ·theōto God;G2316N-DSM-T οὔτεouteneitherG3777CONJ-N φάγωμενphagōmenwe shall eatG5315V-AAS-1P ὑστερούμεθα,husteroumetha[still] do we come shortG5302V-PPI-1P οὔτεoute[then] norG3777CONJ-N φάγωμενphagōmenwe shall eatG5315V-AAS-1P περισσεύομεν.¶perisseuomenhave we an advantage.G4052V-PAI-1P - Some manuscripts omit “For” and have “Neither if we do not eat do we lack, nor if we do eat do we have more”
9 But watch out lest somehow this right of yours becomes a cause for stumbling to the weak.
βλέπετεblepetedo be carefulG0991V-PAM-2P ἐξουσίαexousiarightG1849N-NSF ὑμῶνhumōnof youG4771P-2GP πρόσκομμαproskommaan occasion of stumblingG4348N-NSN γένηταιgenētaimay becomeG1096V-2ADS-3S τοῖςtoisto thoseG3588T-DPM ἀσθενέσιν.asthenesinweak.G0772GA-DPM 10 For if someone should see you who has knowledge reclining for a meal in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, because it1 is weak, be strengthened so that he eats the food sacrificed to idols?
ἴδῃidēshall seeG1492HV-2AAS-3S ἔχονταechontais havingG2192V-PAP-ASM γνῶσινgnōsinknowledgeG1108N-ASF εἰδωλείῳeidōleiōan idol’s templeG1493N-DSN κατακείμενον,katakeimenoneating,G2621V-PNP-ASM οὐχὶouchisurelyG3780PRT-N συνείδησιςsuneidēsisconscienceG4893N-NSF αὐτοῦautouof himG0846P-GSM ἀσθενοῦςasthenousweakG0772GA-GSM ὄντοςontosbeingG1510V-PAP-GSM οἰκοδομηθήσεταιoikodomēthēsetaihe will be encouragedG3618V-FPI-3S εἰδωλόθυταeidōlothutaidol-sacrificesG1494A-APN ἐσθίειν;esthieinto eat?G2068V-PAN - *Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“is”) which is understood as causal
11 For the one who is weak—the brother for whom Christ died—is destroyed by your knowledge.
ἀπόλλυταιapollutaiIs destroyedG0622V-PPI-3S ὁhothe [one] whoG3588T-NSM ἀσθενῶνasthenōnis being weakG0770GV-PAP-NSM γνώσει,gnōseiknowledge,G1108N-DSF ἀδελφὸςadelphosbrotherG0080N-NSM ΧριστὸςChristosChristG5547N-NSM-T ἀπέθανεν.apethanendied.G0599V-2AAI-3S 12 Now if you1 sin in this way against the brothers and wound their conscience, which is weak, you sin against Christ.
ἁμαρτάνοντεςhamartanontessinningG0264V-PAP-NPM ἀδελφοὺςadelphousbrothersG0080N-APM τύπτοντεςtuptonteswoundingG5180V-PAP-NPM αὐτῶνautōntheirG0846P-GPM συνείδησινsuneidēsinconscienceG4893N-ASF ἀσθενοῦσαν,asthenousanbeing weak,G0770GV-PAP-ASF ΧριστὸνChristonChristG5547N-ASM-T ἁμαρτάνετε.hamartaneteyou sin.G0264V-PAI-2P - *Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“sin”) which is understood as conditional
13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat ⌞forever⌟1, in order that I may not cause my brother to sin.
διόπερdioperThereforeG1355CONJ σκανδαλίζειskandalizeisnaresG4624V-PAI-3S ἀδελφόνadelphonbrotherG0080N-ASM μου,mouof mine,G3165P-1GS φάγωphagōshall I eatG5315V-AAS-1S ἀδελφόνadelphonbrotherG0080N-ASM σκανδαλίσω.¶skandalisōI may snare.G4624V-AAS-1S - Literally “for the age”