1 Corinthians 10:19

Contextual Overview

¹⁵I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. ¹⁵ I speake as to wise men: iudge ye what I say. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. ¹⁵ I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise people; you then, judge what I say. ¹⁵ I am speaking to you as to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁵I am speaking as to wise and sensible people; judge [carefully and thoughtfully consider] for yourselves what I say. ¹⁵ I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say. ¹⁵I speak as to prudent people. You judge what I say. ¹⁵I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that the: 1 Corinthians 1:28, 1 Corinthians 3:7, 1 Corinthians 8:4, 1 Corinthians 13:2, Deuteronomy 32:21, Isaiah 40:17, Isaiah 41:29, 2 Corinthians 12:11

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall Deuteronomy 32:17 - not to God Joshua 24:23 - put away 1 Kings 16:13 - vanities 1 Kings 18:26 - no voice Psalms 106:28 - of the dead Psalms 115:4 - Their idols Zechariah 11:17 - idol Acts 19:26 - that they Romans 3:9 - what then Romans 10:19 - I say Romans 11:7 - What then Romans 15:8 - I say 1 Corinthians 8:1 - touching 1 Corinthians 14:15 - What Galatians 3:17 - this Galatians 4:8 - ye did Ephesians 2:12 - without Philippians 1:18 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 10:1
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noach and of Shem, Ham, and Yefet. Sons were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
These are the generations of the sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Children were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
This is the family history of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah. After the flood these three men had sons.

Genesis 10:1
This is the account of Noah's sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
These are the records of the generations (descendants) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and the sons born to them after the flood:

Genesis 10:1
Now these are the records of the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and sons were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
Now these are the generations of the sonnes of Noah, Shem, Ham and Iapheth: vnto whom sonnes were borne after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
Now these are the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:1
After the flood Shem, Ham, and Japheth had many descendants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

What say I then?.... Or may be objected to, or inferred from, what I say;

that an idol is anything, or that which is sacrificed to idols is anything? to which must be answered, as the Syriac version reads,

לא, "no", by no means; by running the parallel between Christians having communion with the body and blood of Christ, in the Lord's supper, through eating the bread and drinking the wine, the Israelites partaking of the altar, by eating of the sacrifices of it, and men's joining with idols and idolaters, by eating things sacrificed to idols; it follows not that an idol has anything of deity in it, and is to be set upon a level with God, when, as he had said before, an idol was nothing, and what he now said did not at all contradict that; or that things offered to idols are to be had in the same account, or to be equalled to, or be thought to have any thing in them, as the elements of the bread and wine in the Lord's supper, or the sacrifices that were offered by the Israelites on the altar, according to the divine command; he meant no such thing, but only argued from the greater to the lesser, and his sense is more fully declared in the next words.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What say I then? - This is in the present tense; τί οὖν φημι ti oun phēmi, what do I say? What is my meaning? What follows from this? Do I mean to say that an idol is anything; that it has a real existence? Does my reasoning lead to that conclusion; and am I to be understood as affirming that an idol is of itself of any consequence? It must be recollected that the Corinthian Christians are introduced by Paul 1 Corinthians 8:4 as saying that they knew that an idol was nothing in the world. Paul did not directly contradict that; but his reasoning had led him to the necessity of calling the propriety of their attending on the feasts of idols in question; and he introduces the matter now by asking these questions, thus leading the mind to it rather than directly affirming it at once. “Am I in this reasoning to be understood as affirming that an idol is anything, or that the meat there offered differs from other meat? No; you know, says Paul, that this is not my meaning. I admit that an idol in itself is nothing; but I do not admit, therefore, that it is right for you to attend in their temples; for though the “idol” itself - the block of wood or stone - is nothing, yet the offerings are really made to devils; and I would not have you engage in such a service;” 1 Corinthians 10:20-21.

That the idol is anything? - That the block of wood or stone is a real living object of worship, to be dreaded or loved? See the note at 1 Corinthians 8:4.

Or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? - Or that the meat which is offered “differs” from that which is not offered; that the mere act of offering it changes its qualities? I do not admit or suppose this.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 19. What say I then? — A Jewish phrase for, I conclude; and this is his conclusion: that although an idol is nothing, has neither power nor influence, nor are things offered to idols any thing the worse for being thus offered; yet, as the things sacrificed by the Gentiles are sacrificed to demons and not to God, those who partake of them have fellowship with demons: those who profess Christianity cannot have fellowship both with Christ and the devil.