1 Corinthians 8:13 kjv
Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
1 Corinthians 8:13 nkjv
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
1 Corinthians 8:13 niv
Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
1 Corinthians 8:13 esv
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
1 Corinthians 8:13 nlt
So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live ? for I don't want to cause another believer to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 8:1 | Regarding food sacrificed to idols... | Foundation for the issue of disputable matters |
| Rom 14:13 | Therefore let us not pass judgment on each other but resolve this: not to put a stumbling block or obstacle in a brother's way. | Direct parallel on avoiding causing offense |
| Rom 14:21 | It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. | Echoes the sentiment of self-denial for the sake of others |
| Gal 5:13 | You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. | Emphasizes serving others over exercising personal liberty |
| Phil 2:4 | Not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of the others. | Underlines the principle of selfless concern |
| Matt 18:6 | If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to be thrown into a lake with a millstone tied around their neck. | Stern warning against causing spiritual harm to believers |
| Luke 17:2 | It would be better for them to be thrown into a sea than that they should cause one of these little ones to stumble. | Reinforces the severity of causing others to sin |
| Lev 19:14 | Do not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord. | Old Testament command against causing harm to the vulnerable |
| Lev 19:17 | "‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart: Rebuke your neighbor frankly so that you will not share in their guilt. | Promotes speaking truth in love to prevent sin and guilt |
| Ex 22:21 | "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress them, for you were aliens in Egypt. | Principle of treating the vulnerable with compassion |
| Prov 4:19 | The path of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. | Contrasts righteous living with stumbling in sin |
| Jer 17:13 | O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water. | Warning against forsaking God, which can lead to stumbling |
| 1 Pet 2:8 | "They stumble because they disobey the word—as indeed they were destined to do." | Explains stumbling as a result of disobedience |
| Acts 15:20 | But we write to tell them, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. | Jerusalem council's decree to protect Gentile believers from offense |
| Acts 15:29 | ...abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols... You will do well to avoid these things. | Practical application of abstaining from questionable practices |
| 1 John 8:11 | And for this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie | Spiritual blindness leading to stumbling |
| Rom 14:15 | If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not destroy your brother with your food, for which Christ died. | Emphasizes that food disputes can lead to destruction if love is absent |
| Rom 15:1 | Those who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please themselves. | The strong should bear with the weak, not seek self-gratification |
| 1 Cor 10:24 | Nobody should seek their own good, but the good of others. | Reiterates the principle of prioritizing others' well-being |
| 1 Cor 10:28, 30 | ...if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it... If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? | Illustrates how conscientious objection of one believer impacts another |
1 Corinthians 8 verses
1 Corinthians 8 13 Meaning
If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8 13 Context
This verse is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, which addresses the issue of eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. In Corinth, many Christians were converts from paganism and faced pressure or temptation to participate in practices associated with idol worship, including eating meat that was first offered in temples. Paul is instructing the Corinthian church on how to exercise their Christian liberty without causing offense or leading weaker believers astray. The preceding verses (8:1-12) discuss the idea that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." While believers understand that idols are nothing and the food itself is not inherently defiled, Paul emphasizes that the exercise of this knowledge must be tempered by love for fellow believers. Chapter 8 begins a discussion that extends into chapter 10, warning against compromising with idolatry.
1 Corinthians 8 13 Word Analysis
- Ei tis (εἴ τις): "If anyone." Introduces a hypothetical condition, placing a personal responsibility on the believer.
- skandalizei (σκανδαλίζῃ): "stumbles" or "causes to stumble." The root word, skandalon, originally referred to a trap or snare. In a spiritual context, it means to cause someone to fall into sin, to be offended, or to be led away from faith. This highlights the gravity of spiritual influence.
- adelphos (ἀδελφός): "brother." Refers specifically to a fellow Christian, emphasizing the communal bond and the responsibility within the body of Christ.
- astheneî (ἀσθενεῖ): "is weak." Describes a believer whose faith is not yet strong in understanding these complex issues. Their conscience might be tender, easily troubled by practices they perceive as impure.
- Egō (ἐγὼ): "I." Personal commitment and resolve.
- botanen (βρῶμα): "food." The substance being consumed. The focus shifts from the inherent nature of the food to its effect on another.
- ou mē (οὐ μὴ): A double negative used for strong emphasis, signifying a definitive prohibition or a solemn vow. "Will never."
- esthio (ἐσθίω): "eat." A direct action.
- hina mē (ἵνα μή): "so that not" or "lest." Indicates the purpose behind the action (or inaction, in this case).
- skandalō (σκανδαλίσω): "stumble" or "cause to stumble." Future active indicative of skandalizo, repeating the concept for emphasis and future implication.
Word Groups Analysis
- "If my brother is weak": This phrase points to the existence of spiritual immaturity and diverse understandings within the church regarding dietary practices linked to pagan rituals. It necessitates consideration for those whose consciences are still forming.
- "I will never eat meat again": This is a statement of voluntary abstention. It is not a general rule for all Christians, but a personal pledge for the sake of preserving unity and protecting a vulnerable brother. This is a voluntary surrender of personal rights or preferences out of love.
- "so that I may not cause my brother to stumble": This clearly states the motive and consequence. The goal is to prevent the spiritual downfall of another believer. The potential harm (stumbling) is presented as more serious than the personal desire to eat meat.
1 Corinthians 8 13 Bonus Section
This commitment by Paul is not a permanent prohibition for himself but a specific contextual resolution for the sake of the Corinthian believers. It highlights the New Testament principle of "rights surrendered for the sake of others," which is elaborated throughout Romans 14-15 and 1 Corinthians 10. It showcases that liberty in Christ is not an excuse for recklessness but a platform for love. This concept aligns with Jesus' own example of self-denial and service for the salvation of humanity.
1 Corinthians 8 13 Commentary
This verse is a powerful demonstration of Christ-like love in action. Paul prioritizes the spiritual well-being of his "brother" over his own liberty to eat. Even though Paul possesses the knowledge that food sacrificed to idols is ultimately just food and does not affect the worshiper, he understands that for a "weak" brother (one with a less informed or more scrupulous conscience), eating such meat would be a sin. To avoid causing such a brother to stumble—that is, to sin by violating their conscience or returning to practices they've been freed from—Paul declares he would give up eating meat entirely. This exemplifies selfless love and puts into practice the principle that true Christian conduct is governed by concern for others, not merely by one's own understanding or rights. It is a radical commitment to preserving unity and avoiding the spiritual ruin of a fellow believer, recognizing that the cause of Christ is served by edifying, not offending, the body of Christ.