1 Corinthians 8

World English Bible 119 include this book

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

2 But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know.

3 But anyone who loves God is known by him.

4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

5 For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”—

6 yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.

7 However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

8 But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat are we the worse, nor if we eat are we the better.

9 But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.

10 For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

11 And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

12 Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

13 Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.

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3 places named in this book — no place is named in this chapter, so the whole book is shown.

Where this was written

Ephesus attested Paul writes that he is staying at Ephesus until Pentecost.

When this was written

The traditions broadly agree on this one.

Broad agreement: 48 AD–62 AD Paul
Authorship and approximate dating are accepted across traditional and critical scholarship alike.

Who ruled Rome

Emperors reigning while this book is dated. Where the traditions differ, they often fall under different rulers.

Broad agreement

Claudius 41 AD–54 AD
Expelled Jews from Rome, which is why Priscilla and Aquila were in Corinth when Paul met them.
Nero 54 AD–68 AD
The fire of Rome in 64 was followed by the first state persecution of Christians. Paul and Peter are traditionally martyred in this reign.

Elsewhere in the world

Events overlapping the period this book is dated to (48 AD–62 AD).

1070 BC–350 AD The kingdom of Kush Africa
A Nubian power on the upper Nile that ruled Egypt itself as its twenty-fifth dynasty.
500 BC–500 AD The Nazca lines South America
Vast figures drawn on the Peruvian desert, visible only from the surrounding hills.
206 BC–220 AD The Han dynasty China
Four centuries of Chinese rule contemporary with the whole of Roman expansion.
150 BC–100 AD Roman concrete and the aqueducts Rome
Hydraulic concrete let Rome build harbours, domes and aqueducts that still stand.
100 BC–550 AD Teotihuacan Mesoamerica
A city of perhaps a hundred thousand people in the valley of Mexico, with monumental pyramids.
43 AD–84 AD Rome conquers Britain Britain
Claudius invaded and the province was gradually extended to the Scottish lowlands.
27 BC–100 AD Roman road and sea network matures Rome
Consolidated roads, harbours and suppressed piracy made long-distance travel unusually safe, a precondition for the rapid spread of early Christian communities.
60 AD–61 AD Boudica's revolt Britain
The Iceni rose against Roman rule and burned three cities before being crushed.

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