Food Sacrificed to Idols

1With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. 3But if someone loves God, he is known by God.

4With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol in this world is nothing,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5If after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we live, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we live.

7But this knowledge is not shared by all. And some, by being accustomed to idols in former times, eat this food as an idol sacrifice, and their conscience, because it is weak, is defiled. 8Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. 9But be careful that this liberty of yours does not become a hindrance to the weak. 10For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” to eat food offered to idols? 11So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed. 12If you sin against your brothers or sisters in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13For this reason, if food causes my brother or sister to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause one of them to sin.