Be Sensitive to Conscience

8 Now aconcerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have bknowledge. cKnowledge 1puffs up, but love 2edifies. 2 And dif anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that ean idol is nothing in the world, fand that there is no other God but one. 5 For even if there are gso-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet hfor us there is one God, the Father, iof whom are all things, and we for Him; and jone Lord Jesus Christ, kthrough whom are all things, and lthrough whom we live.

7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, mwith consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is ndefiled. 8 But ofood 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.

9 But pbeware lest somehow this liberty of yours become qa 3stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not rthe conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And sbecause of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But twhen you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, uif food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.