29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Food Offered to Idols

1 ^oNow concerning^{1 p}food offered to ^qidols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” ^rpuffs up, but love ^sbuilds up. 2 ^tIf anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is ^uknown by God.²

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^v“an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but ^wone.” 5 For although there may be ^xso-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, ^yfrom whom are all things and for whom we exist, and ^zone Lord, Jesus Christ, ^athrough whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7 ^bHowever, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being ^cweak, is defiled. 8 ^dFood will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But ^etake care that this right of yours does not somehow become a ^fstumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating³ in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged,⁴ if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 ^gAnd so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers⁵ and wounding their conscience when it is weak, ^hyou sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 ⁿThe cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? ^oThe bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, ^pwe who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel:¹ are not those who ^qeat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or ^rthat an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice ^sthey offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 ^tYou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we ^uprovoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Do All to the Glory of God

23 ^v“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 ^wLet no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 ^xEat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For ^y“the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the ^zunbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, ^aeat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 ^bBut if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—

21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold ^ethe teaching of ^fBalaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to ^gidols and practice ^hsexual immorality.