1 Corinthians 8:1
in 1 Corinthians 8Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.
KJV
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 8
Commentary
16 notes on this verseIt is therefore better and more profitable to belong to the simple and unlettered class, and by means of love to attain to nearness to God, than, by imagining ourselves learned and skilful, to be found [among those who are] blasphemous against their own God, inasmuch as they conjure up another God as the Father.
This site's exposition
Now about food sacrificed to idols
on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3
Paul answers the boast We know that we all have knowledge with Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The puffing word is the one he has used since 4:6.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
"We know that we all have knowledge"-common knowledge in common things, and the knowledge that there is one God. For he was writing to believers; whence he adds, "But knowledge (gnosis) is not in all," being communicated to few. And there are those who say that the knowledge about things sacrificed to idols is not promulgated among all, "lest our liberty prove a stumbling-block to the weak. For by thy knowledge he that is weak is destroyed."
Paul means that knowledge is a great thing and very useful to the person who has it, as long as it is tempered by love.
Paul means that knowledge only does good in company with love. Otherwise it merely puffs a man into pride.
"Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge." Leaving alone the weak, which he always doth, he discourses with the strong first. And this is what he did also in the Epistle to the Romans, saying, "But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother?" for this is the sort of person that is able to receive rebuke also with readiness. Exactly the same then he doth here also. And first he makes void their conceit by declaring that this very thing which they considered as peculiar to themselves, the having perfect knowledge, was common to all. Thus, "we know," saith he, "that we all have knowledge." For if allowing them to have high thoughts, he had first pointed out how hurtful the thing was to others, he would not have done them so much good as harm. For the ambitious soul when it plumes itself upon any thing, even though the same do harm to others, yet strongly adheres to it because of the tyranny of vain-glory. Wherefore Paul first examines the matter itself by itself: just as he had done before in the case of the wisdom from without, demolishing it with a high hand. But in that case he did it as we might have expected: for the whole thing was altogether blameworthy and his task was very easy. Wherefore he signifies it to be not only useless, but even contrary to the Gospel. But in the present case it was not possible to do this. For what was done was of knowledge, and perfect knowledge. Nor was it safe to overthrow it, and yet in no other way was it possible to cast out the conceit which had resulted from it. What then doeth he? First, by signifying that it was common, he curbs that swelling pride of theirs. For they who possess something great and excellent are more elated, when they alone have it; but if it be made out that they possess it in common with others, they no longer have so much of this feeling. […]
"If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." For truth is never mere opinion. But the "supposition of knowledge inflates," and fills with pride; "but charity edifieth," which deals not in supposition, but in truth. Whence it is said, "If any man loves, he is known."
9 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
But the knowledge of those who think themselves wise, whether the barbarian sects or the philosophers among the Greeks, according to the apostle, "puffeth up." But that knowledge, which is the scientific demonstration of what is delivered according to the true philosophy, is rounded on faith.
The Medieval Church2 voices
Some of the Corinthians were perfect, and knowing that what enters the mouth does not defile a person (Matt. 15:11) and that idols are wood and stone and cannot cause harm, they indiscriminately entered idol-temples and ate food sacrificed to idols. Others, less perfect, seeing …
A commentator
BonaventureCollationes de Septem Donis, Collation 4 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"Knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies"; therefore it is necessary to join charity with knowledge, so that a man may have knowledge and charity together, so that what the Apostle says may be fulfilled: "Rooted and founded in charity, that you may be able to …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
); as if he had said, "You who take such liberty are not the only knowing persons; we who abstain know as much as you of the vanity of idols, and that they are nothing; but we know too that the liberty you take is very culpable, and that even lawful liberty must be used with charity and not to the prejudice of weaker brethren." Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
All of us have knowledge - A gentle reproof of their self-conceit. Knowledge without love always puffeth up. Love alone edifies - Builds us up in holiness.
Now as touching things offered unto idols,.... This was another of the things the Corinthians wrote to the apostle about, desiring to have his judgment in; it was a controversy that had been before moved, whether it was lawful to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Now as touching - In regard to; in answer to your inquiry whether it is right or not to partake of those things. Things offered unto idols - Sacrifices unto idols. Meat that had been offered in sacrifice, and then either exposed to sale in the market, or served up at the feasts held in honor of idols, at their temples, or at the houses of their devotees.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Paul replies, "We are aware that we all have [speaking generally, and so far as Christian theory goes; for in 1Co 8:7 he speaks of some who practically have not] this knowledge." Knowledge puffeth up--when without "love." Here a parenthesis begins; and the main subject is resumed in the same words, 1Co 8:4.
As touching things offered unto idols - This was another subject on which the Corinthians had asked the apostle’s advice, and we shall understand the whole of this chapter the better when we consider one fact, viz. That there had long subsisted a controversy between the Karaites and the Traditionists, how far it was lawful to derive any benefit or advantage from things used by the Gentiles. The Karaites were a sect of the Jews who scrupulously held to the letter of the sacred writings, taking this alone for their directory. The Traditionists were those who followed the voice of the elders, interpreting the Divine testimonies by their decisions. From a work of the Karaites, entitled Addereth Eliyahu, Triglandus has extracted the following decisions, which will throw light upon this subject. “It is unlawful to receive any benefit from any kind of heathen worship, or from any thing that has been offered to an idol.” - “It is unlawful to buy or sell an idol, and if, by accident, any such thing shall come into thy power, thou shalt derive no emolument from it.” - “The animals that are destined and prepared for the worship of idols are universally prohibited; and particularly those which bear the mark of the idol. This should be maintained against the opinion of the Traditionists, who think they may lawfully use these kinds of animals, provided they be not marked with the sign of the idol.” Thus far the Karaites; and here we see one strong point of difference between these two sects. The Karaites totally objected to every thing used in idolatrous services: the Traditionists, as the Talmud shows, did generally the same; but it appears that they scrupled not to use any animal employed in idolatrous worship, provided they did not see the sign of the idol on it. […]
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Περὶ | peri | Concerning | G4012 → | 332 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰδωλοθύτων, | eidolothuton | idol-sacrifices, | G1494 → | 9 times |
| οἴδαμεν | oidamen | we know | ||
| ὅτι | hoti | indeed | G3754 → | 1292 times |
| πάντες | pantes | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| γνῶσιν | gnosin | knowledge | G1108 → | 29 times |
| ἔχομεν. | echomen | we have. | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γνῶσις | gnosis | Knowledge | G1108 → | 29 times |
| φυσιοῖ, | phusioi | puffs up, | G5448 → | 7 times |
| ἡ | he | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | but | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀγάπη | agape | love | G26 → | 114 times |
| οἰκοδομεῖ. | oikodomei | builds up. | G3618 → | 40 times |
ΠερὶConcerning
periG4012 →332 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
εἰδωλοθύτων,idol-sacrifices,
eidolothutonG1494 →9 times
οἴδαμενwe know
oidamen
ὅτιindeed
hotiG3754 →1292 times
πάντεςall
pantesG3956 →1235 times
γνῶσινknowledge
gnosinG1108 →29 times
ἔχομεν.we have.
echomenG2192 →707 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
γνῶσιςKnowledge
gnosisG1108 →29 times
φυσιοῖ,puffs up,
phusioiG5448 →7 times
ἡ<the>
heG3588 →19766 times
δὲbut
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀγάπηlove
agapeG26 →114 times
οἰκοδομεῖ.builds up.
oikodomeiG3618 →40 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food…
it leads to
- Numbers 31:16
“Look, these women caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to turn unfaithfully against the LORD at Peor, so that the plague struck the congregation of the LORD.
- 2 Peter 2:15
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
- Revelation 2:20
But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- Numbers 25:1–3
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with the daughters of Moab,
- Numbers 31:16
Through
Isaiah 5:21Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 3:18–20
Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18–20
Through
Romans 14:3The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him.
it leads to
- Romans 14:10
Why, then, do you judge your brother? Or why do you belittle your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
- Colossians 2:16–17
Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.
- Romans 14:10
Through
1 Corinthians 8:4So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:39
Know therefore this day and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
- Deuteronomy 4:39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 9.20; Bonaventure, Collationes de Septem Donis, Collation 4; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 4; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 1; Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 2; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book II; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 20; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.