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1 Corinthians 10:29

in 1 Corinthians 10

the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other’s; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

KJV

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

This verse in 1 Corinthians 10

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Clement of Alexandria

The Stromata Book 4 · Written before 215.

"But the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." For conscience' sake, then, we are to abstain from what we ought to abstain. "Conscience, I say, not his own," for it is endued with knowledge, "but that of the other," lest he be trained badly, and by imitating in ignorance what he knows not, he become a despiser instead of a strong-minded man. "For why is my liberty judged of by another conscience? For if I by grace am a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

This site's exposition

eat not for his sake that shewed it

on 1 Corinthians 10:28-30

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: once the meat's history is announced, the same freedom is voluntarily laid down for the sake of the one who spoke, the weaker-brother principle of chapter 8 applied to a concrete case. Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?: Paul clarifies that his own conscience remains free even while his conduct yields, the abstention being love's choice rather than a change in what is actually lawful. For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?: the closing question keeps thanksgiving as the true measure of clean eating, echoing 1 Timothy 4:4's later statement of the same principle.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 25 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"Conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other's." But perhaps some one may say, "The brethren indeed, as is natural, thou sparest, and dost not suffer us to taste for their sakes, lest their conscience being weak might be emboldened to eat the idol sacrifices. But if it be some heathen, what is this man to thee? Was it not thine own word, 'What have I to do with judging them that are without?' Wherefore then dost thou on the contrary care for them?" "Not for him is my care," he replies, "but in this case also for thee." To which effect also he adds, "For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?" meaning by "liberty," that which is left without caution or prohibition. For this is liberty, freed from Jewish bondage. And what he means is this: "God hath made me free and above all reach of injury, but the Gentile knoweth not how to judge of my rule of life, nor to see into the liberality of my Master, but will condemn and say to himself, Christianity is a fable; they abstain from the idols, they shun demons, and yet cleave to the things offered to them: great is their gluttony." "And what then?" it may be said. "What harm is it to us, should he judge us unfairly?" But how much better to give him no room to judge at all! For if thou abstain, he will not even say this. "How," say you, "will he not say it? For when he seeth me not making these inquiries, either in the shambles or in the banquet; what should hinder him from using this language and condemning me, as one who partakes without discrimination?" It is not so at all. For thou partakest, not as of idol-sacrifices, but as of things clean. And if thou makest no nice enquiry, it is that thou mayest signify that thou fearest not the things set before thee; this being the reason why, whether thou enterest a house of Gentiles or goest into the market, I suffer thee not to ask questions; viz. […]

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

That is, a pagan. For he will perhaps, as I said, be scandalized, or consider you a glutton, or think that you too, like him, accept idols. And lest anyone say: "Why should you care about the one who announced it? For you yourself previously …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

Freedom he calls indiscriminateness and lack of restraint by prohibition. I, he says, will eat freely and without discrimination, but the pagan will condemn me and say: the faith of Christians is vain; they say that they abhor idols, yet they eagerly eat what is …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

Conscience I say, not thy own - I speak of his conscience, not thine. For why is my liberty judged by another's conscience - Another's conscience is not the standard of mine, nor is another's persuasion the measure of my liberty.
Conscience I say, not thine own,....
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

Conscience, I say, not thine own - I know that you may have no scruples on the subject. I do not mean that with you this need be a matter of conscience. I do not put it on that; ground, as if an idol were anything, or as if it were in itself wrong, or as if the quality of the meat so offered had been changed; but I put it on the ground of not wounding the feelings of those who are scrupulous, or of leading them into sin.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The Greek terms for "the other" and "another" are distinct. "The other" is the one with whom Paul's and his Corinthian converts' concern is; "another" is any other with whom he and they have no concern.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

For why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? etc. - Though in the case of flesh offered to idols, and other matters connected with idolatry, (on which it appears there was much of a tender conscience among some of the Corinthians), it was necessary to sacrifice something to an over-scrupulous conscience, yet the Gospel of Christ did not lay any man under this general burthen, that he must do nothing at which any weak brother might feel hurt or be stumbled; for the liberty of the Gospel must not take for its rule the scrupulosity of any conscience; for if a man, by grace - by the allowance or authority of the Gospel, partake of any thing that God’s bounty has sent, and which the Gospel has not forbidden, and give thanks to God for the blessing, no man has right or authority to condemn such a person. This seems to be the meaning of these two verses; and they read a lesson of caution to rash judges, and to those who are apt to take offense.

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each 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 10:32

    Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 10:33

      as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Acts 20:28

      Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

  • Through

    1 Corinthians 9:19

    Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

    it leads to

    • 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.

    • Matthew 18:15

      If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

    • James 5:19–20

      My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,

  • Through

    2 Corinthians 8:21

    For we are taking great care to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord, but also in the eyes of men.

    it leads to

    • Romans 12:17

      Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

    • 1 Peter 2:12

      Conduct yourselves with such honor among the Gentiles that, though they slander you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

    • Philippians 4:8

      Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

The Crucifixion, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Crucifixion, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
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); Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 4; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.