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Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

¹ Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that "we all have knowledge."^[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has not yet known as it is necessary to know. ³ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

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."^{[b] 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,

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 it^[c] is weak, is defiled. 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.^{[d] 9} But watch out lest somehow this right of yours becomes a cause for stumbling to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone should see you who has knowledge reclining for a meal in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, because it^[e] is weak, be strengthened so that he eats the food sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ For the one who is weak—the brother for whom Christ died—is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹² Now if you^[f] sin in this way against the brothers and wound their conscience, which is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat forever^[g], in order that I may not cause my brother to sin.