1 Corinthians 8 10

1 Corinthians 8:10 kjv

For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;

1 Corinthians 8:10 nkjv

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?

1 Corinthians 8:10 niv

For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol's temple, won't that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?

1 Corinthians 8:10 esv

For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?

1 Corinthians 8:10 nlt

For if others see you ? with your "superior knowledge" ? eating in the temple of an idol, won't they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol?

1 Corinthians 8 verses

1 Corinthians 8 10 Meaning

This verse explains that when believers eat meat offered to idols, their conscience, if weak, is defiled because they perceive the act as wrong. The emphasis is on the state of the weak believer's conscience and the sin associated with acting against one's convictions. It’s not about the idol itself being a real deity, but about the believer's understanding and the resultant spiritual implication.

1 Corinthians 8 10 Context

In 1 Corinthians chapter 8, Paul addresses the issue of eating meat sacrificed to idols, a common practice in the Corinthian society due to the prevalence of pagan temples and idolatry. The Corinthian believers, particularly those with a stronger understanding of monotheism, recognized that an idol was nothing and that meat offered to it was essentially neutral. However, some believers, with a weaker understanding or a more sensitive conscience, still felt that eating such meat was participation in pagan worship and therefore sinful. This verse specifically details the consequence for those weaker believers: their conscience, informed by their existing understanding, is defiled by the act. Paul’s broader aim in this section is to guide the Corinthian church towards exercising their spiritual knowledge with love and consideration for their weaker brethren, preventing the misuse of Christian liberty from becoming a cause of sin and division.

1 Corinthians 8 10 Word Analysis

• e (de): This is a conjunction meaning "but," "and," or "now." It serves to connect this verse with the preceding one, often introducing a contrast or a further explanation.
• εἰ (ei): This is a conditional particle, meaning "if." It introduces a hypothetical condition.
• δὲ (de): Another conjunction, similar to the first "de," often used to transition between clauses or thoughts. Here it indicates a progression in the argument, emphasizing a consequence.
• εἰδὼς (eidos): This is the perfect active participle of the Greek verb οἶδα (oida), meaning "to know." It translates to "knowing." In this context, it refers to possessing knowledge.
• τὴν (ten): The definite article "the," feminine accusative singular.
• συνείδησιν (syneidēsin): Accusative case of συνείδησις (syneidēsis), meaning "conscience." This word refers to the inner faculty that bears witness to or against one's actions, often considered the seat of moral judgment.
• τοῦ (tou): The definite article "the," genitive masculine singular.
• ἀσθενοῦς (asthenous): Genitive case of ἀσθενής (asthenēs), meaning "weak," "feeble," or "infirm." Here it describes the conscience of the believer.
• τρώγεται (trōgetai): Third person singular present passive indicative of τρώγω (trōgō), meaning "to eat," "to gnaw," or "to consume." In the passive voice here, it means "is eaten."
• ἐσθίειν (esthiein): Present active infinitive of ἐσθίω (esthíō), another verb for "to eat." It functions as the object of the implied understanding of the weak brother’s action.
• τὸ (to): The definite article "the," neuter accusative singular.
• βρῶμα (brōma): Accusative case of βρῶμα (brōma), meaning "food" or "meat."
• ἀνακείμενος (anakeimenos): Present passive participle of ἀνάκειμαι (anakeimai), meaning "to be laid down," "to recline," or "to be set before" (as in a meal or sacrifice). It describes food that has been set out, in this context, as part of a meal or setting related to an idol.

Words-group analysis:

• εἰ δὲ εἰδὼς (ei de eidōs): "If you, knowing..." This phrase establishes the premise of a knowledgeable believer's action. The knowledge referred to is the understanding that idols are nothing.
• τὴν συνείδησιν τοῦ ἀσθενοῦς (ten syneidēsin tou asthenous): "the conscience of the weak one." This highlights the subject of the consequence: the internal moral sense of a believer with a weaker understanding or conviction.
• τρώγεται... ἐσθίειν τὸ βρῶμα (trōgetai...esthiein to brōma): "is eaten... to eat the food." This refers to the act of consuming food, which has been placed at an idol's shrine, or is understood by the weak conscience as being connected to the idol.

1 Corinthians 8 10 Bonus Section

This verse reflects the New Testament emphasis on the importance of conscience, a concept also explored in Romans 14. Paul is careful to distinguish between the objective reality (idols are nothing) and the subjective experience (the weak believer’s conviction). He consistently advocates for prioritizing the spiritual welfare and unity of the church over the assertion of individual rights or knowledge when it could harm another. This understanding also connects to the Mosaic Law, where ignorance or acting against one's knowledge often carried different penalties than acting in willful rebellion, and certainly how the New Covenant reshapes our understanding of sin to include acting against the conviction of the Spirit and our own conscience illuminated by His Word.

1 Corinthians 8 10 Commentary

This verse acts as a crucial warning. It underscores that for a believer with a weak conscience, participating in an act perceived as wrong, even if the object itself (the meat or the idol) has no inherent power, results in spiritual contamination. The believer's act is not wrong because the idol is real, but because it violates their own informed conscience, which God has given them. This implies that even when knowledge is present, it must be exercised with discernment and charity. Acting according to knowledge while disregarding the convictions of a weaker brother leads to that brother's spiritual harm. It's a foundational text for understanding Christian liberty and its boundaries, emphasizing that love must govern the exercise of freedom. True freedom in Christ means not only understanding what is permissible but also understanding how our actions impact others and submitting our freedom to the principle of edification and love.