1 Corinthians 8-9

English Standard Version

Food Offered to Idols

8 Now concerning^{[a] (A)}food offered to idols: we know that ^(B)“all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” ^(C)puffs up, ^(D)but love builds up. ^2 (E)If anyone imagines that he knows something, ^(F)he does not yet know as he ought to know. ³ But if anyone loves God, ^(G)he is known by God.^[b]

⁴ Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^(H)“an idol has no real existence,” and that ^(I)“there is no God but one.” ⁵ For although there may be ^(J)so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— ⁶ yet ^(K)for us there is one God, the Father, ^(L)from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and ^(M)one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and ^(N)through whom we exist.

⁷ However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^(O)through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^(P)their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ^8 (Q)Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹ But take care ^(R)that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block ^(S)to the weak. ¹⁰ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating^[c] in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,^[d] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^(T)destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² Thus, sinning against your brothers^[e] and ^(U)wounding their conscience when it is weak, ^(V)you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, ^(W)if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Paul Surrenders His Rights

9 ^(X)Am I not free? ^(Y)Am I not an apostle? ^(Z)Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? ^(AA)Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? ² If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are ^(AB)the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³ This is my defense to those who would examine me. ^4 (AC)Do we not have the right to eat and drink? ^5 (AD)Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,^[f] as do the other apostles and ^(AE)the brothers of the Lord and ^(AF)Cephas? ⁶ Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? ^7 (AG)Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? ^(AH)Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

⁸ Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses, ^(AI)“You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰ Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written ^(AJ)for our sake, because ^(AK)the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. ^11 (AL)If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? ¹² If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more?

Nevertheless, ^(AM)we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything ^(AN)rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. ¹³ Do you not know that ^(AO)those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? ¹⁴ In the same way, the Lord commanded that ^(AP)those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

¹⁵ But ^(AQ)I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone ^(AR)deprive me of my ground for boasting. ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For ^(AS)necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with ^(AT)a stewardship. ¹⁸ What then is my reward? That in my preaching ^(AU)I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

¹⁹ For ^(AV)though I am free from all, ^(AW)I have made myself a servant to all, that I might ^(AX)win more of them. ^20 (AY)To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To ^(AZ)those outside the law I became ^(BA)as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but ^(BB)under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ^22 (BC)To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. ^(BD)I have become all things to all people, that ^(BE)by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, ^(BF)that I may share with them in its blessings.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives ^(BG)the prize? So ^(BH)run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every ^(BI)athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we ^(BJ)an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I ^(BK)do not box as one ^(BL)beating the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and ^(BM)keep it under control,^[g] lest after preaching to others ^(BN)I myself should be ^(BO)disqualified.