1 Corinthians 8:9

Contextual Overview

⁷ However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁷ But euery man hath not that knowledge: for many hauing conscience of the idole, vntill this houre, eate as a thing sacrificed vnto the idole, and so their conscience being weake, is defiled. ⁷However, not everyone has this knowledge. Some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food sacrificed to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁷ However, that knowledge isn't in all men. But some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁷ But knowledge [is] not in all: but some, with conscience of the idol, until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to idols; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁷ But not all people know this. Some have had the habit of worshiping idols. So now when they eat meat, they still feel as if it belongs to an idol. They are not sure that it is right to eat this meat. So when they eat it, they feel guilty. ⁷However, not all [believers] have this knowledge. But some, being accustomed [throughout their lives] to [thinking of] the idol until now [as real and living], still eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and because their conscience is weak, it is defiled (guilty, ashamed). ⁷ Howbeit there is not in all men that knowledge: but some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. ⁷But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. ⁷ Not everyone knows these things. In fact, many people have grown up with the belief that idols have life in them. So when they eat meat offered to idols, they are bothered by a weak conscience.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

take: 1 Corinthians 8:10, 1 Corinthians 10:24, 1 Corinthians 10:29, Matthew 18:6, Matthew 18:7, Matthew 18:10, Luke 17:1, Luke 17:2, Romans 14:20, Romans 14:21, Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16, 2 Peter 2:19

liberty: or, power

a stumblingblock: 1 Corinthians 10:32, Leviticus 19:14, Isaiah 57:14, Ezekiel 14:3, Ezekiel 44:12, Romans 14:13-15, Romans 14:20, Galatians 5:13, Revelation 2:14

weak: 1 Corinthians 8:12, 1 Corinthians 9:22, Isaiah 35:3, Romans 14:1, Romans 14:2, Romans 15:1, 2 Corinthians 11:21

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 10:29 - made Israel Song of Solomon 7:13 - I have Matthew 17:27 - lest 1 Corinthians 8:7 - with 1 Corinthians 9:18 - that I 1 Corinthians 10:23 - things are lawful 2 Corinthians 6:3 - General Galatians 2:13 - the other Philippians 2:4 - General Revelation 22:14 - may have

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 28:65
Also among these nations thou shalt finde no rest, neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest: for the Lord shal giue thee there a trembling heart, and looking to returne till thine eyes fall out, and a sorowfull minde.

Deuteronomy 28:65
Among these nations shall you find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of your foot: but the LORD will give you there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul;

Deuteronomy 28:65
"You will not have any peace among these nations. You will have no place to rest. The Lord will fill your mind with worry. Your eyes will feel tired. You will be very upset.

Deuteronomy 28:65
And among these nations you shall find no respite, and there shall be no resting place for the sole of your foot, but the Lord will give you there a trembling heart and failing eyes and a languishing soul.

Deuteronomy 28:65
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot: but Jehovah will give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and pining of soul;

Deuteronomy 28:65
And even among these nations there will be no peace for you, and no rest for your feet: but the Lord will give you there a shaking heart and wasting eyes and weariness of soul:

Deuteronomy 28:65
You will be restless—always longing for home, but never able to return.

Deuteronomy 28:65
Among these nations you will not find repose, and there will be no rest for the sole of your foot; rather Adonai will give you there anguish of heart, dimness of eyes and apathy of spirit.

Deuteronomy 28:65
And among these nations shalt thou have no repose, and there shall be no rest for the sole of thy foot; but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and languishing of soul.

Deuteronomy 28:65
And among these nations shalt thou finde no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest: but the Lord shall giue thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, & sorrow of minde.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But take heed lest by any means,.... This is either a reply to the instance of such as argued in favour of eating things offered to idols; or a limitation and explanation of the apostle's own concession, that it made a man, with respect to the favour of God, neither better nor worse: yet care should be taken, lest

this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak; he owns they had a liberty, or a right, or power, as the word may be rendered, of eating, or not eating, as they pleased; but then they ought to be cautious, lest they should be the means of offending, or causing to offend, such who were weak in the faith, and had not that knowledge of Christian liberty they had: not the use of their power and liberty is here denied, but the abuse of it is guarded against; for though the action itself was indifferent, yet as it might be used, it might be sinful, being attended with very bad consequences, such as hereafter mentioned.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But take heed - This is the reply of Paul to the argument of the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 8:8. “Though all that you say should be admitted to be true, as it must be; though a man is neither morally better nor worse for partaking of meat or abstaining from it; yet the grand principle to be observed is, so to act as not to injure your brethren. Though you may be no better or worse for eating or not eating, yet if your conduct shall injure others, and lead them into sin, that is a sufficient guide to determine you what to do in the case. You should abstain entirely. It is of far more importance that your brother should not be led into sin, than it is that you should partake of meat which you acknowledge 1 Corinthians 8:8 is in itself of no importance.”

Lest by any means - μή πως mē pōs. You should be careful that by no conduct of yours your brother be led into sin. This is a general principle that is to regulate Christian conduct in all matters that are in themselves indifferent.

This liberty of yours - This which you claim as a right; this power which you have, and the exercise of which is in itself lawful. The “liberty” or power ἐξουσία exousia here referred to was that of partaking of the meat that was offered in sacrifice to idols; 1 Corinthians 8:8. A man may have a right abstractly to do a thing, but it may not be prudent or wise to exercise it.

Become a stumbling-block - An occasion of sin; see the note at Matthew 5:29; also see the note at Romans 14:13. See that it be not the occasion of leading others to sin, and to abandon their Christian profession; 1 Corinthians 8:10.

To them that are weak - To those professing Christians who are not fully informed or instructed in regard to the true nature of idolatry, and who still may have a superstitious regard for the gods whom their fathers worshipped.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Corinthians 8:9. But take heed — Lest by frequenting such feasts and eating things offered to idols, under the conviction that an idol is nothing, and that you may eat those things innocently, this liberty of yours should become a means of grievously offending a weak brother who has not your knowledge, or inducing one who respects you for your superior knowledge to partake of these things with the conscience, the persuasion and belief, that an idol is something, and to conclude, that as you partake of such things, so he may also, and with safety. He is not possessed of your superior information on this point, and he eats to the idol what you take as a common meal.