1 Corinthians 10:28
in 1 Corinthians 10But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience’ sake:
KJV
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 10
Commentary
9 notes on this verseIf the creature is defiled by a mere word, as the apostle teaches, "But if any one say, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, you must not touch it," much more when it is polluted by the dress, and rites, and pomp of what is offered to the gods.
This site's exposition
But if someone tells you
on 1 Corinthians 10:28-30
Once the meat's history is announced, Paul says do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you. It is the weaker-brother rule of chapter 8 applied to a concrete case.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"But if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice unto idols; eat not, for his sake that showed it." Thus it is not at all for any power that they have but as accursed, that he bids abstain from them. Neither then, as though they could injure you, fly from them, (for they have no strength;) nor yet, because they have no strength, indifferently partake: for it is the table of beings hostile and degraded. Wherefore he said, "eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake. For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." Seest thou how both when he bids them eat and when they must abstain, he brings forward the same testimony? "For I do not forbid," saith he, "for this cause as though they belonged to others: ("for the earth is the Lord's:") but for the reason I mentioned, for conscience sake; i.e., that it may not be injured." Ought one therefore to inquire scrupulously? "Nay" saith he "for I said not thy conscience, but his. For I have already said, 'for his sake that showed it.'" And again, v. 29, "Conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's."
The Medieval Church1 voice
I command you to abstain not because food offered to idols is harmful, but for the sake of the one who declared that it was offered to idols, lest he suffer harm and think that Christians need not turn away from things pertaining to idols. …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
They must not eat it out of religious respect to the idol, nor go into his temple, and hold a feast there, upon what they knew was an idol-sacrifice; nor perhaps out of the temple, if they knew it was a feast held upon a sacrifice, but there were cases wherein they might without sin eat what had been offered.
But if any man say unto you,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
This is offered in sacrifice unto idols - While they were not apprized of this circumstance they might lawfully eat; but when told that the flesh set before them had been offered to an idol, then they were not to eat, for the sake of his weak conscience who pointed out the circumstance. For the apostle still takes it for granted that even the flesh offered in sacrifice to an idol might be eaten innocently at any private table, as in that case they were no longer in danger of being partakers with devils, as this was no idol festival.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
if any man--a weak Christian at table, wishing to warn his brother. offered in sacrifice unto idols--The oldest manuscripts omit "unto idols." At a heathen's table the expression, offensive to him, would naturally be avoided. for conscience' sake--not to cause a stumbling-block to the conscience of thy weak brother (1Co 8:10-12). for the earth is the Lord's, &c.--not in the oldest manuscripts.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But if any man - If any fellow guest; any scrupulous fellow Christian who may be present. That the word “any” (τις tis) refers to a fellow guest seems evident; for it is not probable that the host would point out any part of the food on his own table, of the lawfulness of eating which he would suppose there was any doubt. Yet there might be present some scrupulous fellow Christian who would have strong doubts of the propriety of partaking of the food, and who would indicate it to the other guests. For his sake that showed it - Do not offend him; do not lead him into sin;, do not pain and wound his feelings. And for conscience’ sake - Eat not, out of respect to the conscientious scruples of him that told thee that it had been offered to idols. The word “conscience” refers to the conscience of the informer 1Co 10:29; still he should make it a matter of conscience not to wound his weak brethren, or lead them into sin. For the earth is the Lord’s ... - See 1Co 10:26. These words are missing in many mss. (see Mill’s Greek Testament), and in the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic versions; and are omitted by Griesbach. Grotius says that they should be omitted. There might easily have been a mistake in transcribing them from 1Co 10:26. The authority of the mss., however, is in favor of retaining them; and they are quoted by the Greek fathers and commentators. If they are to be retained, they are to be interpreted, probably, in this sense; “There is no “necessity” that you should partake of this food. All things belong to God; and he has made ample provision for your needs without subjecting you to the necessity of eating this. Since this is the case, it is best to regard the scruples of those who have doubts of the propriety of eating this food, and to abstain.”
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐὰν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| δέ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ὑμῖν | humin | to you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| εἴπῃ· | eipe | shall say; | G2036 → | 925 times |
| τοῦτο | touto | This | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ἱερόθυτόν | hi'erothuton | temple-sacrifice | ||
| ἐστιν, | estin | is, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| μὴ | me | not | G3361 → | 1066 times |
| ἐσθίετε | esthiete | do eat | G2068 → | 65 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | on account of | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ἐκεῖνον | ekeinon | him | G1565 → | 260 times |
| τὸν | ton | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μηνύσαντα | menusanta | having shown [it] | G3377 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συνείδησιν· | suneidesin | conscience; | G4893 → | 30 times |
ἐὰνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
δέhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ὑμῖνto you
huminG4771 →2973 times
εἴπῃ·shall say;
eipeG2036 →925 times
τοῦτοThis
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ἱερόθυτόνtemple-sacrifice
hi'erothuton
ἐστιν,is,
estinG1510 →2333 times
μὴnot
meG3361 →1066 times
ἐσθίετεdo eat
esthieteG2068 →65 times
δι᾽on account of
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ἐκεῖνονhim
ekeinonG1565 →260 times
τὸνwhich
tonG3588 →19766 times
μηνύσανταhaving shown [it]
menusantaG3377 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
συνείδησιν·conscience;
suneidesinG4893 →30 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
1 Corinthians 10:26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
it leads to
- Psalms 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.
- Psalms 50:12
If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world is Mine, and the fullness thereof.
- Exodus 19:5
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Psalms 24:1
Through
Romans 14:15If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 8:11–12
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
- Philippians 2:2–4
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose.
- Galatians 5:13
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- 1 Corinthians 8:11–12
Through
1 Corinthians 8:7But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it…
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:28–29
But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—
- Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
- 1 Corinthians 10:28–29
Where this verse is studied
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About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 10 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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 25; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, De Corona and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.