1 Corinthians 10:29

Contextual Overview

²³ "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. ²³ All things are lawfull for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawfull for me, but all things edifie not. ²³“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. ²³ "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are profitable. "All things are lawful for me," but not all things build up. ²³ All things are lawful, but all are not profitable; all things are lawful, but all do not edify. ²³ "All things are allowed," you say. But not all things are good. "All things are allowed." But some things don't help anyone. ²³All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate, permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life]. ²³ All things are lawful; but not all things are expedient. All things are lawful; but not all things edify. ²³"Everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible," but not everything is edifying. ²³ Some of you say, "We can do whatever we want to!" But I tell you that not everything may be good or helpful.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

not: 1 Corinthians 10:32, 1 Corinthians 8:9-13, Romans 14:15-21

why: Romans 14:16, 2 Corinthians 8:21, 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Reciprocal: Romans 14:3 - judge Romans 15:8 - I say 1 Corinthians 8:7 - with 1 Corinthians 8:10 - shall not

Cross-References

Genesis 2:11
The name of one is Pishon: the same compasseth the whole land of Hauilah, where is golde.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which encircles the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon: this is the one which flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first river was Pishon. This river flowed around the entire country of Havilah.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon, which goes round about all the land of Havilah where there is gold.

Genesis 2:11
The first one is the Pishon River that flows through the land of Havilah,

Genesis 2:11
The name of the first is Pishon; it winds throughout the land of Havilah, where there is gold.

Genesis 2:11
The name of the one is Pison: that is it which surrounds the whole land of Havilah, where the gold is.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Conscience I say, not thine own,.... Which is well informed about these things, and is fully persuaded that an idol is nothing, and that things sacrificed to idols are nothing; and as they cannot profit a man, or help forward his comfort, peace, and happiness, so they cannot hinder them:

but of the others; either the weak brother, or the unbelieving master of the feast; it is for the sake of their consciences such food must not be eaten, lest either the one should be grieved, or the other reproach:

for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? this is not an objection of the Corinthians, setting forth the unreasonableness of being condemned, for the use of their Christian liberty by another's conscience, be he who he will, believer or unbeliever, when they had an undoubted right to such an use, and their own consciences did not condemn them: but they are the words of the apostle, expressing his own sense, that it was not right and fitting that he should make use of his liberty, and eat under such a circumstance as here pointed out, and so his liberty should be condemned as sinful by another man's conscience; since the weak believer would be apt to censure, judge, and condemn him as a libertine, and the unbeliever as an atheist, or one that had no regard to any religion at all; and therefore he reasons, that it was best to abstain from eating, rather than expose his liberty to such a censure and condemnation.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Conscience, I say, not thine own - I know that you may have no scruples on the subject. I do not mean that with you this need be a matter of conscience. I do not put it on that; ground, as if an idol were anything, or as if it were in itself wrong, or as if the quality of the meat so offered had been changed; but I put it on the ground of not wounding the feelings of those who are scrupulous, or of leading them into sin.

For why is my liberty ... - There is much difficulty in this clause; for as it now stands, it seems to be entirely contradictory to what the apostle had been saying. He had been urging them to have respect to other people’s consciences, and in some sense to give up their liberty to their opinions and feelings. Macknight and some others understand it as an objection: “Perhaps you will say, But why is my liberty to be ruled by another man’s conscience?” Doddridge supposes that this and 1 Corinthians 10:30 come in as a kind of parenthesis, to prevent their extending his former caution beyond what he designed. “I speak only of acts obvious to human observation: for as to what immediately lies between God and my own soul, why is my liberty to be judged, arraigned, condemned at the bar of another man’s conscience?” But it is probable that this is not an objection. The sense may be thus expressed: “I am free; I have “liberty” to partake of that food, if I please; there is no law against it, and it is not morally wrong: but if I do, when it is pointed out to me as having been sacrificed to idols, my liberty - the right which I exercise - will be “misconstrued, misjudged, condemned” (for so the word κρίνεται krinetai seems to be used here) by others. The weak and scrupulous believer will censure, judge, condemn me as regardless of what is proper, and as disposed to fall in with the customs of idolaters; and will suppose that I cannot have a good conscience. Under these circumstances, why should I act so as to expose myself to this censure and condemnation? It is better for me to abstain, and not to use this liberty in the case, but to deny myself for the sake of others.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 29. 30. For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? c.] Though in the case of flesh offered to idols, and other matters connected with idolatry, (on which it appears there was much of a tender conscience among some of the Corinthians,) it was necessary to sacrifice something to an over-scrupulous conscience, yet the Gospel of Christ did not lay any man under this general burthen, that he must do nothing at which any weak brother might feel hurt or be stumbled for the liberty of the Gospel must not take for its rule the scrupulosity of any conscience for if a man, by grace-by the allowance or authority of the Gospel, partake of any thing that God's bounty has sent, and which the Gospel has not forbidden, and give thanks to God for the blessing, no man has right or authority to condemn such a person. This seems to be the meaning of these two verses; and they read a lesson of caution to rash judges, and to those who are apt to take offence.