1 Corinthians 10:30

"If I by grace partake, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?" "Of what dost thou 'by grace partake?' tell me." Of the gifts of God. For His grace is so great, as to render my soul unstained and above all pollution. For as the sun sending down his beams upon many spots of pollution, withdraws them again pure; so likewise and much more, we, living in the midst of the world remain pure, if we will, by how much the power we have is even greater than his. "Why then abstain?" say you. Not as though I should become unclean, far from it; but for my brother's sake, and that I may not become a partaker with devils, and that I may not be judged by the unbeliever. For in this case it is no longer now the nature of the thing, but the disobedience and the friendship with devils which maketh me unclean, and the purpose of heart worketh the pollution. But what is, "why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?" "I, for my part" saith he "give thanks to God that He hath thus set me on high, and above the low estate of the Jews, so that from no quarter am I injured. But the Gentiles not knowing my high rule of life will suspect the contrary, and will say, 'Here are Christians indulging a taste for our customs; they are a kind of hypocrites, abusing the demons and loathing them, yet running to their tables; than which what can be more senseless? We conclude that not for truth's sake, but through ambition and love of power they have betaken themselves to this doctrine.' What folly then would it be that in respect of those things whereby I have been so benefited as even to give solemn thanks, in respect of these I should become the cause of evil-speaking?" "But these things, even as it is," say you, "will the Gentile allege, when he seeth me not making enquiry." In no wise. […]

I, he says, for my part freely make use of God's creatures, by the grace of God, which has so established and strengthened me that I observe nothing. But the pagan will speak evil of me, as though I avoid idols out of hypocrisy, yet …

For if I by grace be a partaker,....

For if I by grace be a partaker - Or rather, “If I partake by grace; if by the grace and mercy of God, I have a right to partake of this; yet why should I so conduct as to expose myself to the reproaches and evil surmises of others?

For--The oldest manuscripts omit "For." by grace--rather, "thankfully" [ALFORD]. I . . . be partaker--I partake of the food set before me. evil spoken of--by him who does not use his liberty, but will eat nothing without scrupulosity and questioning whence the meat comes. give thanks--which consecrates all the Christian's acts (Ro 14:6;

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens