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Food Offered to Idols

¹ 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.