1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.[ † ]Acts 15:201 Corinthians 8:4-7, 10Romans 14:14Romans 14:3 2The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.[ † ]1 Corinthians 13:8-12Galatians 6:31 Timothy 6:4 3But the one who loves God is known by God.
4So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.[ † ]Isaiah 41:24Deuteronomy 4:35-39Deuteronomy 6:41 Corinthians 8:6 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),[ † ]John 10:34 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.[ † ]Malachi 2:10Ephesians 4:6Acts 17:28John 13:131 Corinthians 1:2Ephesians 4:51 Timothy 2:5John 1:3Colossians 1:16-17Hebrews 1:2Romans 5:11Revelation 4:11Revelation 5:9-10
7But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.[ † ]1 Corinthians 10:28Romans 14:14-22 8But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.[ † ]Romans 14:17
9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.[ † ]Galatians 5:13Romans 14:13-211 Corinthians 10:28 10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?[ † ]1 Corinthians 10:28 11So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.[ † ]Romans 14:15-20 12By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.[ † ]Matthew 25:40
13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.[ † ]Romans 14:211 Corinthians 10:322 Corinthians 6:32 Corinthians 11:29