1  But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2  If any one think he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. 3  But if any one love God, he is known of him):

4  —concerning then the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God save one. 5  For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,) 6  yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

7  But knowledge is not in all: but some, with conscience of the idol, until now eat as of a thing sacrificed to idols; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8  But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage. 9  But see lest anywise this your right to eat itself be a stumbling-block to the weak. 10  For if any one see thee, who hast knowledge, sitting at table in an idol-house, shall not his conscience, he being weak, be emboldened to eat the things sacrificed to the idol? 11  and the weak one, the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge. 12  Now, thus sinning against the brethren, and wounding their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13  Wherefore if meat be a fall-trap to my brother, I will eat no flesh for ever, that I may not be a fall-trap to my brother.

Chapter 9

1  Am I not free? am I not an apostle? have I not seen Jesus our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? 2  If I am not an apostle to others, yet at any rate I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.

3  My defence to those who examine me is this: 4  Have we not a right to eat and to drink? 5  have we not a right to take round a sister as wife, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? 6  Or I alone and Barnabas, have we not a right not to work? 7  Who ever carries on war at his own charges? who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? or who herds a flock and does not eat of the milk of the flock? 8  Do I speak these things as a man, or does not the law also say these things? 9  For in the law of Moses it is written, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that is treading out corn. Is God occupied about the oxen, 10  or does he say it altogether for our sakes? For for our sakes it has been written, that the plougher should plough in hope, and he that treads out corn, in hope of partaking of it. 11  If we have sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 12  If others partake of this right over you, should not rather we? But we have not used this right, but we bear all things, that we may put no hindrance in the way of the glad tidings of the Christ. 13  Do ye not know that they who labour at sacred things eat of the offerings offered in the temple; they that attend at the altar partake with the altar? 14  So also the Lord has ordained to those that announce the glad tidings to live of the glad tidings.

15  But I have used none of these things. Now I have not written these things that it should be thus in my case; for it were good for me rather to die than that any one should make vain my boast. 16  For if I announce the glad tidings, I have nothing to boast of; for a necessity is laid upon me; for it is woe to me if I should not announce the glad tidings. 17  For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with an administration. 18  What is the reward then that I have? That in announcing the glad tidings I make the glad tidings costless to others, so as not to have made use, as belonging to me, of my right in announcing the glad tidings.

19  For being free from all, I have made myself bondman to all, that I might gain the most possible. 20  And I became to the Jews as a Jew, in order that I might gain the Jews: to those under law, as under law, not being myself under law, in order that I might gain those under law: 21  to those without law, as without law, (not as without law to God, but as legitimately subject to Christ,) in order that I might gain those without law. 22  I became to the weak, as weak, in order that I might gain the weak. To all I have become all things, in order that at all events I might save some. 23  And I do all things for the sake of the glad tidings, that I may be fellow-partaker with them.

24  Know ye not that they who run in the race-course run all, but one receives the prize? Thus run in order that ye may obtain. 25  But every one that contends for a prize is temperate in all things: they then indeed that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. 26  I therefore thus run, as not uncertainly; so I combat, as not beating the air. 27  But I buffet my body, and lead it captive, lest after having preached to others I should be myself rejected.

Chapter 10

1  For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2  and all were baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3  and all ate the same spiritual food, 4  and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them: (now the rock was the Christ;) 5  yet God was not pleased with the most of them, for they were strewed in the desert.

6  But these things happened as types of us, that we should not be lusters after evil things, as they also lusted. 7  Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9  Neither let us tempt the Christ, as some of them tempted, and perished by serpents. 10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured, and perished by the destroyer. 11  Now all these things happened to them as types, and have been written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. 12  So that let him that thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13  No temptation has taken you but such as is according to man’s nature; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able to bear, but will with the temptation make the issue also, so that ye should be able to bear it. 14  Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

15  I speak as to intelligent persons: do ye judge what I say. 16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of the Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of the Christ? 17  Because we, being many, are one loaf, one body; for we all partake of that one loaf. 18  See Israel according to flesh: are not they who eat the sacrifices in communion with the altar? 19  What then do I say? that what is sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20  But that what the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. Now I do not wish you to be in communion with demons. 21  Ye cannot drink the Lord’s cup, and the cup of demons: ye cannot partake of the Lord’s table, and of the table of demons. 22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

23  All things are lawful, but all are not profitable; all things are lawful, but all do not edify. 24  Let no one seek his own advantage, but that of the other. 25  Everything sold in the shambles eat, making no inquiry for conscience sake. 26  For the earth is the Lord’s and its fulness. 27  But if any one of the unbelievers invite you, and ye are minded to go, all that is set before you eat, making no inquiry for conscience sake. 28  But if any one say to you, This is offered to holy purposes, do not eat, for his sake that pointed it out, and conscience sake; 29  but conscience, I mean, not thine own, but that of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another conscience? 30  If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I spoken evil of for what I give thanks for? 31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all things to God’s glory. 32  Give no occasion to stumbling, whether to Jews, or Greeks, or the assembly of God. 33  Even as I also please all in all things; not seeking my own profit, but that of the many, that they may be saved.

Chapter 11

1  Be my imitators, even as I also am of Christ.