1 Corinthians 8:1 kjv
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1 Corinthians 8:1 nkjv
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
1 Corinthians 8:1 niv
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that "We all possess knowledge." But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1 esv
Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1 nlt
Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that "we all have knowledge" about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
1 Corinthians 8 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Corinthians 8:1 | "...knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." | Builds up; positive Christian action |
| 1 Corinthians 8:2 | "If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know." | True knowledge tempered with humility |
| 1 Corinthians 13:2 | "If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge... but have not love, I am nothing." | Supremacy of love over knowledge |
| Galatians 5:6 | "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but faith working through love." | Faith manifested in love |
| Romans 14:1 | "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions." | Handling matters of disputable things with grace |
| Romans 14:13 | "Let us rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother." | Responsibility not to cause others to stumble |
| 1 Corinthians 10:23 | "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up." | Lawfulness vs. edification |
| Ephesians 4:2 | "with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love," | Christian character necessary for unity |
| Philippians 2:3 | "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves." | Humility as a counterpoint to prideful knowledge |
| Colossians 2:18 | "Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, ...." | Warning against false knowledge and practices |
| 1 Timothy 1:5 | "The aim of our charge is love that springs from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." | The ultimate goal of Christian teaching |
| 1 John 4:7-8 | "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God... Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." | The source and nature of love |
| Proverbs 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." | Warning against pride that comes from self-sufficiency |
| 1 Corinthians 1:10 | "I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you..." | Plea for unity, threatened by misguided knowledge |
| Romans 12:3 | "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly..." | Against prideful self-estimation |
| 1 Peter 4:8 | "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." | The pervasive nature of love |
| Acts 15:29 | "...abstain from food 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." | Practical guidelines for gentile believers |
| Romans 14:2-3 | "One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who esteems it differently, nor let the one who esteems it differently pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him." | Diversity of practice within unity |
| John 13:34-35 | "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also, to one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” | The identifying mark of Christ's followers |
| 1 Corinthians 8:7 | "However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being overly accustomed to the idol until now, eat it as if it were food sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled." | Contrast of knowledge with weak conscience |
1 Corinthians 8 verses
1 Corinthians 8 1 Meaning
The Apostle Paul is stating that knowledge, particularly about Christian liberty concerning questionable practices, possesses a certain quality. This knowledge, when held by believers, has the potential to be constructive, but it is not inherently so. Its positive impact depends on how it is applied. It has the power to edify or build up the church.
1 Corinthians 8 1 Context
This verse introduces the discussion in 1 Corinthians 8 concerning eating food sacrificed to idols. The Corinthian church, a port city with widespread pagan worship, faced challenges understanding their Christian liberty. Some believed their newfound freedom in Christ meant they could partake in food that had been part of idolatrous sacrifices, arguing that idols were nothing and therefore the food was also nothing. Others, with weaker consciences, were troubled by this, fearing it implied association with paganism. Paul addresses this issue to promote unity and prevent the destruction of weaker believers by stronger ones through unloving assertion of their "knowledge." The historical context includes the pervasive influence of polytheism and its associated rituals in the Greco-Roman world.
1 Corinthians 8 1 Word Analysis
“perI de thV loipV loipon (peri de tēs speirmatoV)” - Literally "but concerning the remaining/leftover things." The apostle transitions to the next point of discussion.
“eidnani (eidēnai)” - To know; to perceive, understand, have knowledge. This refers to intellectual grasp or awareness.
“guioThtes guionhTus guionhToi” (hupsiounnai)” - "puffs up" or "inflates." This implies arrogance, conceit, or causing someone to become conceited. It speaks of spiritual pride.
“de de” (de)” - But; a strong adversative conjunction indicating contrast.
“h de aga hghgaw” (agapē)” - Love; a profound, selfless, and sacrificial love, characterized by seeking the highest good of the other. This is the Christian virtue essential for true fellowship.
“eoikoW” (eoikō)” - Builds up; edifies; makes to grow, prosper, increase. It refers to constructive, strengthening influence.
Group Analysis: “gnōsis men phusioI, h de agapē oikodomei” (gnōsis men phusioI, h de agapē oikodomei) - "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." This is the core statement contrasting the effect of intellectual understanding versus relational love. Intellectual assent without the animating principle of love leads to arrogance and division, while love leads to growth and unity within the community.
1 Corinthians 8 1 Bonus Section
This verse is foundational to understanding the responsible exercise of Christian freedom. It highlights a common danger in the spiritual life: the potential for intellectualism to bypass the transformative power of love. Paul's teaching here echoes themes found throughout Scripture emphasizing that the true measure of a believer's maturity lies not in their intellectual prowess or freedom from external regulations, but in the quality of their love for God and neighbor. The "knowledge" being referred to here likely pertains specifically to the understanding of the neutrality of food previously offered to idols.
1 Corinthians 8 1 Commentary
The verse contrasts the effect of knowledge with that of love. While having doctrinal knowledge about Christian freedom concerning food laws and idols is not inherently wrong, it can lead to arrogance if not tempered by love. Pride in one's understanding can alienate and harm fellow believers, especially those whose consciences are more sensitive or less informed. True spiritual growth is not measured by how much one "knows" intellectually, but by how much one demonstrates Christ-like love, which seeks the well-being and spiritual progress of others. Love is the essential element that makes knowledge beneficial for the body of Christ, fostering unity and spiritual maturity.
- Practical Application: When discussing differing viewpoints or practices within the church, prioritize grace and understanding. Ensure your "knowledge" of Christian liberty serves to strengthen others rather than to elevate yourself or condemn those who might not see things the same way.