1 Corinthians 8:8 kjv
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
1 Corinthians 8:8 nkjv
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
1 Corinthians 8:8 niv
But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
1 Corinthians 8:8 esv
Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
1 Corinthians 8:8 nlt
It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't lose anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do.
1 Corinthians 8 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Cor 8:4 | "Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything unclean, it is unclean." | Establishes principle of idol's nothingness |
| 1 Cor 8:7 | "However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled." | Identifies the issue of weak conscience |
| 1 Cor 8:9 | "But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak." | Warns against abusing liberty |
| 1 Cor 8:10 | "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 the idols?" | Explains how liberty can harm the weak |
| 1 Cor 8:11 | "And through your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?" | Highlights the consequence for the weak |
| 1 Cor 8:12 | "But when you sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." | Connects sin against brethren to sin against Christ |
| 1 Cor 8:13 | "Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." | Paul's personal resolution |
| Rom 14:14 | "I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing inherently unclean in itself. But to the one who considers anything unclean, to him it is unclean." | Parallel teaching on uncleanness |
| Rom 14:20 | "Do not break the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat it if it causes a person to stumble." | Emphasizes importance of not causing stumbling |
| Rom 14:21 | "It is good not to eat meat or drink wine, or do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or made weak." | Advocates abstaining to protect others |
| Acts 15:20 | "but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood." | Early church decree regarding idols |
| Rev 2:14 | "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality." | Identifies doctrinal error related to idols |
| Exod 20:3-5 | "You shall have no other gods before Me... You shall not bow down to them nor serve them..." | Prohibition against idolatry |
| Isa 41:24 | "Indeed you are nothing, and your work is naught; an abomination is he who chooses you!" | Declares idols to be nothing |
| Psa 115:4-7 | "But their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes they have, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; noses they have, but do not smell; they have hands, but do not feel; feet they have, but do not walk; nor do they muffle with their throat. Those who make them are like them; so is everyone who trusts in them." | Describes the powerlessness of idols |
| Gal 5:13 | "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." | Liberty should be used in love for others |
| Eph 4:27 | "nor give place to the devil." | Warning against yielding to sin |
| 1 Pet 4:11 | "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." | Glorifying God in all actions |
| Col 3:17 | "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." | Doing all to the glory of God |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." | Concluding principle of Christian living |
1 Corinthians 8 verses
1 Corinthians 8 8 Meaning
This verse teaches that while food sacrificed to idols has no inherent power or spiritual significance because idols themselves are nothing, our consciences are affected by our knowledge and understanding. Eating such food, if one believes it is wrong, constitutes sin because it goes against their conscience. Therefore, abstaining from food sacrificed to idols protects weaker believers from sinning through ignorance or a troubled conscience.
1 Corinthians 8 8 Context
This verse is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 8, where the Apostle Paul addresses the issue of eating food offered to idols. The Corinthian church, like many pagan communities, had a problem with distinguishing between food sold in the marketplace or served at meals, some of which might have been part of idol worship. Paul is differentiating between genuine knowledge (understanding that idols are nothing) and applied knowledge (how to use that knowledge responsibly). He addresses the "strong" believers who have this knowledge and are tempted to assert their freedom, and the "weak" believers who are conscience-bound and can be easily led into sin if they violate their conscience. The context is about Christian liberty and its responsible exercise within the community, emphasizing love and consideration for fellow believers.
1 Corinthians 8 8 Word Analysis
- εἰ: (ei) - "if." A conditional particle.
- δὲ: (de) - "but" or "and." A connective particle, often introducing a contrast or continuation.
- βρῶμα: (brōma) - "food," "meat." Refers to anything eaten.
- οὐ: (ou) - "not." A strong negation.
- ποιεῖ: (poiei) - "makes," "does," "works." Present tense, third person singular of ποιέω (poieō).
- τὸ: (to) - "the." Definite article.
- θεῖον: (theion) - "divine," "acceptable to the gods," referring here to "food offered to an idol" (neuter adjective used substantively, referring to offerings made to gods). It implies something dedicated or offered to a deity.
- ἡμῖν: (hēmin) - "us." Dative plural of ἐγώ (egō), "I."
- οὐ: (ou) - "not." Again, a negation.
- γὰρ: (gar) - "for," "because." A causal particle.
- οὔτε: (oute) - "neither," "nor." Connects two negative clauses.
- κοινοῦται: (koinoutai) - "defiles," "makes common," "profanes." Middle deponent, present tense, third person singular of κοινόω (koinōo). This implies making something sacred common, or rendering something ceremonially unclean.
- οὔτε: (oute) - "neither," "nor."
- ἐὰν: (ean) - "if." Another conditional particle.
- τ ε – "δὲ" (de): Used as a postpositive particle connecting this verse to the previous one, functioning as "but" or "now."
- "βρῶμα" (brōma): "food." The subject of the latter part of the sentence.
- "οὐ ποιεῖ" (ou poiei): "does not make."
- "τὸ θεῖον" (to theion): Literally "the divine," but here it functions in relation to offerings, implying "consecrated to a god" or "acceptable to a deity." The emphasis is that food itself does not have this inherent spiritual quality.
- "ἡμῖν" (hēmin): "us." The object for whom the food doesn't do this.
- "Our righteousness is of no avail." The concept that external actions are not what save, but an inward condition is paramount.
- "For we are not what they were." This refers to the preceding discussion in verse 7 where some had a weak conscience "with consciousness of the idol" and ate "as a thing offered to an idol." This verse clarifies that if they lack that weak conscience regarding the idol's supposed significance, then the food itself is neutral.
- "but for him who considers anything unclean, to him it is unclean." (This is from Rom 14:14, a parallel text but crucial for understanding this thought.) It reinforces that personal conviction determines the moral quality for the individual.
1 Corinthians 8 8 Bonus Section
The concept of "defilement" (κοινοῦται - koinoutai) relates to the Levitical laws concerning cleanness and uncleanness. While Christians are not bound by ceremonial Jewish law in the same way, the principle here touches on how our participation in certain actions can defile our conscience, which is a sacred gift from God. To violate one's conscience is to sin against God, who is the ultimate author and guarantor of conscience. This highlights the ethical responsibility of believers to nurture and obey their conscience, which is guided by the Holy Spirit and Scripture. The weak conscience is often a result of insufficient grounding in doctrine or fear of perceived spiritual dangers derived from pagan practices.
1 Corinthians 8 8 Commentary
Food itself is morally neutral. It does not inherently defile a believer, nor is it inherently "of the gods" in any spiritual sense, because idols themselves have no true divine power. The problem arises from the perception and conscience of the individual believer. If a believer has a weak conscience or still attaches significance to the idol when eating food associated with its worship, then for them, that act is sinful. Conversely, for the believer with full knowledge that idols are nothing, eating such food does not cause spiritual defilement because their conscience is clear. This verse emphasizes that Christian liberty regarding disputable matters should be exercised with love and consideration, not imposing one's understanding on those who are less informed or whose consciences are more sensitive, to prevent them from sinning against their own convictions.