Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY

1 Corinthians 8
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

Overview of 1 Corinthians

- E. CONSIDERATION FOR THE SPIRITUAL WELFARE OF FELLOW BELIEVERS (8:1–11:1)
  - 1. About food offered to idols (8:1-13)
    - Love superior to knowledge (8:1-3)
    - Avoid stumbling others over the eating of food offered to idols (8:4-13)
  - 2. Paul’s example as an apostle (9:1-27)
    - Right of ministers to receive material help (9:1-18)
    - Becoming all things to people of all sorts (9:19-23)
    - Self-control needed in the race for life (9:24-27)
  - 3. Warning examples from Israel’s history (10:1-22)
    - The Israelites in the wilderness (10:1-5)
    - Warnings against greediness, idolatry, immorality, and other evil things (10:6-11)
    - No one tempted beyond what he can bear (10:12, 13)
    - “Flee from idolatry”; reject the table of demons (10:14-22)
  - 4. Using Christian freedom in a considerate way (10:23–11:1)
    - “All things are lawful, but not all things build up” (10:23, 24)
    - Showing consideration for the conscience of others (10:25-30)
    - Doing all things for God’s glory; imitating Paul and Christ (10:31–11:1)

1 Corinthians 8:1

Now concerning food offered to idols: In the first century C.E., Greeks and Romans offered animal sacrifices to idols. Parts of the animal were placed on the altar. A portion went to the priests and a portion went to the worshippers for a meal or a feast. However, leftovers of the meat were often sold in the “meat market.” (1Co 10:25) The Corinthian Christians had written to Paul, asking whether it was acceptable to eat such meat. (1Co 7:1a) Inspired by holy spirit, Paul helped them understand that to mature Christians, “an idol is nothing.” (1Co 8:4) Still, he advised Christians against going to an idol temple to eat meat. Eating at the pagan temple could give the wrong impression to spiritually weak observers, who might conclude that the Christian was worshipping the idol. Some of those weaker Christians might be stumbled or even be influenced to the point of eating meat during idolatrous religious ceremonies. (1Co 5:9, 10; 8:9, 10) That would be in direct violation of the governing body’s decree found at Ac 15:28, 29.—See study notes on 1Co 8:4; 10:25.

+Ac 15:20, 29
+Ro 14:14; 1Co 8:10
+1Co 8:13; 13:4, 5

Research Guide

The Watchtower (Study),
9/2018, pp. 12-16

The Watchtower (Study),
8/2017, p. 29

Awake!,
11/2008, p. 8
11/22/1993, p. 16

The Watchtower,
1/1/2001, p. 9
11/15/1992, pp. 21-22
Publications Index
w18.09 12-16; w17.08 29; g 11/08 8; w01 1/1 9; g93 11/22 16; w92 11/15 21-22;

cj 122-123; g79 11/8 27-28; w75 370; g74 8/22 19; w73 291-292; w72 564; ad 1013; w68 740; w64 493; g63 6/22 5; w62 250, 413; w61 12, 158; yb61 19; g61 6/22 4; w56 45; w55 185; w52 126

1 Corinthians 8:2

Publications Index
g79 11/8 27-28

1 Corinthians 8:3

Research Guide

The Watchtower (Study),
9/2019, p. 12

The Watchtower (Study),
7/2018, p. 8

Insight, Volume 2, p. 181
Publications Index
w19.09 12; w18.07 8; it-2 181;

g79 11/8 28

1 Corinthians 8:4

concerning the eating of food offered to idols: The Greek expression rendered “food offered to idols” in this verse also occurs at Ac 15:29, where it is rendered “things sacrificed to idols.” However, the Greek term is broad and may include meat of a sacrifice actually used in a religious ceremony and meat that was left over from such a sacrifice. Here, Paul is referring to leftover meat that was sold to the public in a market. (1Co 10:25) In 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 and Romans 14, Paul was not granting Christians permission to share in acts of idolatry or in any feast honoring an idol. Rather, Paul was inspired to make allowance for simply eating, as an ordinary meal, meat that had been sold to the general public. Such meat from an idol temple was not unclean or defiled simply because of its origin.—See study notes on 1Co 8:1; 10:25.

*
Or “nothing at all.”

+De 32:21; 2Ki 19:17, 18; Jer 16:20
+De 6:4; 32:39

Publications Index
w78 10/15 30-31; w75 218; ns 15; w56 45; w52 126

1 Corinthians 8:5

many “gods”: The Christian Greek Scriptures use the same Greek term for God, the·osʹ (in singular, plural, masculine, and feminine), whether referring to pagan gods and goddesses or to the true God. (Ac 7:40; 14:11; 19:27, 37; Php 3:19) However, Jehovah is the almighty God, “one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him.” (1Co 8:6) Jehovah distinguishes himself from false gods by revealing his personal name. He rightfully requires exclusive devotion.—Ex 20:4, 5.

+Ps 82:1, 6; Joh 10:34, 35

Research Guide

The Watchtower,
1/1/1992, pp. 3-4
12/1/1990, pp. 3-5
Publications Index
w92 1/1 3-4; w90 12/1 3-5;

g72 3/22 6; w71 101; g66 9/8 27; g65 3/22 6; w64 105; w62 120, 601; wr 58; w61 3; ns 15, 31; g61 12/8 29; w57 323; w53 530; w51 658

1 Corinthians 8:6

one God: This expression echoes several statements in the Hebrew Scriptures regarding Jehovah’s uniqueness and his being the only true God. For example, at De 6:4, Moses states: “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah”; at De 32:39, Moses recites Jehovah’s words: “There are no gods apart from me.”—Isa 43:10, 11; 44:6; 45:6; see study note on Mr 12:29.

+1Ti 2:5
+Mal 2:10; Mt 23:9
+Ac 17:28; Ro 11:36
+Php 2:11
+Joh 1:1, 3; Col 1:15, 16

Research Guide

Insight, Volume 2, p. 8

Trinity, p. 14
Publications Index
it-2 8; ti 14;

w83 9/15 16-17; g65 3/22 6; g63 1/8 28; w62 601; wr 58; g62 9/22 8; w61 3; ns 15, 31; w53 530

1 Corinthians 8:7

conscience: See study note on Ro 2:15.

+Ro 14:14
+1Co 10:27, 28
+Ro 14:23

Research Guide

Insight, Volume 1, pp. 501, 1172-1173
Publications Index
it-1 501, 1172-1173;

g79 11/8 27-28; w75 218-219; w72 563; ad 812; w61 669; w56 142; w52 126, 575, 639

1 Corinthians 8:8

+Ro 14:17
+Heb 13:9

Research Guide

The Watchtower,
11/15/1989, p. 14
Publications Index
w89 11/15 14;

w69 115; w59 479; w52 126

1 Corinthians 8:9

+Ro 14:13, 20

Research Guide

The Watchtower,
11/15/1989, p. 14
Publications Index
w89 11/15 14;

g79 4/22 28; g79 11/8 27-28; km 9/76 5; w72 564-565; g72 8/22 7; w69 115; w62 413, 471; w59 479; w52 126

1 Corinthians 8:10

Research Guide

Insight, Volume 1, p. 1173
Publications Index
it-1 1173;

g79 11/8 27-28; km 9/76 5; w72 564; g72 8/22 7; ad 812; w69 115; w62 413; w56 45; w52 575; w50 96

1 Corinthians 8:11

+Mt 20:28; Ro 14:15

Publications Index
g79 11/8 27-28; w72 564-565; w56 45

1 Corinthians 8:12

+1Co 10:28, 29

Publications Index
w72 564-565; w64 519; w62 471; w61 488

1 Corinthians 8:13

+Mt 18:6; Ro 14:15, 19, 21; 15:1

Research Guide

Insight, Volume 1, p. 840
Publications Index
it-1 840;

w82 7/15 24; w75 218-219; g72 8/22 7; w69 114; w64 519; w61 541; w52 126, 551; w47 343

Parallel Translations

Click a verse number to display parallel Bible verses.

General

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

The First to the Corinthians

8 Now concerning food offered to idols:+ We know we all have knowledge.+ Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.+ 2 If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know it as he should know it. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him.

4 Now concerning the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing+ in the world* and that there is no God but one.+ 5 For even though there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth,+ just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” 6 there is actually to us one God,+ the Father,+ from whom all things are and we for him;+ and there is one Lord,+ Jesus Christ, through whom all things are+ and we through him.

7 However, not all have this knowledge.+ But some, because of their former association with the idol, eat food as something sacrificed to an idol,+ and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.+ 8 But food will not bring us nearer to God;+ we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor better off if we eat.+ 9 But keep watching that your right to choose does not somehow become a stumbling block to those who are weak.+ 10 For if anyone should see you who have knowledge having a meal in an idol temple, will not the conscience of that one who is weak be emboldened to the point of eating food offered to idols? 11 So by your knowledge the man who is weak is being ruined, your brother for whose sake Christ died.+ 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience,+ you are sinning against Christ. 13 That is why if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat at all, so that I will not make my brother stumble.+