1 Corinthians 8:1

Food Sacrificed to Idols

8:1 With regard to food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” ¹  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

1 Corinthians 1:5

1:5 For you were made rich ²  in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge ³  –

1 Corinthians 8:11

8:11 So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, ⁴  for whom Christ died, is destroyed. ⁵ 

1 Corinthians 12:8

12:8 For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 13:8

13:8 Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside.

1 Corinthians 8:7

8:7 But 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.

1 Corinthians 8:10

8:10 For if someone weak sees you who possess knowledge dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience be “strengthened” ⁶  to eat food offered to idols?

1 Corinthians 13:2

13:2 And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 14:6

14:6 Now, brothers and sisters, ⁷  if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

[8:1]  ¹ sn “We all have knowledge.” Here and in v. 4 Paul cites certain slogans the Corinthians apparently used to justify their behavior (cf. 6:12-13; 7:1; 10:23). Paul agrees with the slogans in part, but corrects them to show how the Corinthians have misused these ideas.

[1:5]  ² sn Made rich refers to how God richly blessed the Corinthians with an abundance of spiritual gifts (cf. v. 7).

[1:5]  ³ sn Speech and knowledge refer to the spiritual gifts God had blessed them with (as v. 7 confirms). Paul will discuss certain abuses of their gifts in chapters 12-14, but he thanks God for their giftedness.

[8:11]  ³ tn Grk “the one who is weak…the brother for whom Christ died,” but see note on the word “Christian” in 5:11.

[8:11]  ⁴ tn This may be an indirect middle, “destroys himself.”

[8:10]  ⁴ tn Or “built up”; This is the same word used in v. 1b. It is used ironically here: The weak person is “built up” to commit what he regards as sin.

[14:6]  ⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.