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1 Corinthians 8:1–5

Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols

8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:a We know that “We all possess knowledge.”b But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know somethingc do not yet know as they ought to know.d But whoever loves God is known by God.a e

So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols:f We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world”g and that “There is no God but one.”h For even if there are so-called gods,i whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),

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1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”—

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — New Living Translation (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. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.

So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords.

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — New Century Version (NCV)

Now I will write about meat that is sacrificed to idols. We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs you up with pride, but love builds up. If you think you know something, you do not yet know anything as you should. But if any person loves God, that person is known by God.

So this is what I say about eating meat sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is really nothing in the world, and we know there is only one God. Even though there are things called gods, in heaven or on earth (and there are many “gods” and “lords”),

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — American Standard Version (ASV)

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth. If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know; but if any man loveth God, the same is known by him. Concerning therefore the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many;

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

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

—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. For and if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, (as there are gods many, and lords many,)

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

Now, concerning food offered to false gods: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people arrogant, but love builds them up. Those who think they know something still have a lot to learn. But if they love God, they are known by God. 

Now about eating food that was offered to false gods: We know that the false gods in this world don’t really exist and that no god exists except the one God. People may say that there are gods in heaven and on earth—many gods and many lords, as they would call them.

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

About food offered to idols: We know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him.

Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords—

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols, we know that “we all have knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he has not yet known as it is necessary to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

Therefore, concerning the eating of food sacrificed to idols, we know that “an idol is nothing in the world” and that “there is no God except one.” For even if after all there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many gods and many lords,

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

Now I want to deal with food offered to statues of gods.

We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes people proud. But love builds them up. Those who think they know something still don’t know as they should. But those who love God are known by God.

So then, here is what I say about eating food that is offered to statues of gods. We know that a god made by human hands is really nothing at all in the world. We know there is only one God. There may be so-called gods either in heaven or on earth. In fact, there are many “gods” and many “lords.”

1 Corinthians 8:1–5 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.

If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;

but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.

For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,


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