1 Corinthians 8:10
in 1 Corinthians 8For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For if a man see thee who hast knowledge sitting at meat in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?
KJV
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
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This verse in 1 Corinthians 8
Commentary
15 notes on this verseIf any man see thee which hast knowledge - Of the true God, and who art reputed for thy skill in Divine things. Sit at meat in the idol’s temple - Is it not strange that any professing the knowledge of the true God should even enter one of those temples? And is it not more surprising that any Christian should be found to feast there? But by all this we may see that the boasted knowledge of the Corinthians had very little depth in things purely spiritual.
This site's exposition
Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block
on 1 Corinthians 8:9-10
Freedom can become a stumbling block to the weak. Corinth's temples held dining rooms for meals in the god's honour. A weak brother who sees him eating there may be drawn back into an act his conscience still calls worship.
This site's exposition
someone with a weak conscience
The danger lies in example. Chrysostom and Barnes note that the weak brother looks to the one with knowledge as a pattern and takes courage to eat.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Give nothing and take nothing from an idol! If it be against the faith to recline at table in the temple of an idol, what would you call it if one wore the garb of an idol?
What schoolmaster, without a table of the seven idols, will yet frequent the Quinquatria? The very first payment of every pupil he consecrates both to the honour and to the name of Minerva; so that, even though he be not said "to eat of that which is sacrificed to idols" nominally (not being dedicated to any particular idol), he is shunned as an idolater.
Let us expand this thought so as to say: "If someone sees you who have knowledge of piety passing the whole day in those senseless and harmful associations, will not the conscience of the weak man be emboldened to pursue such actions more earnestly?" That blessed apostle said this to keep in check those who were heedless, even after having knowledge of piety, who were exposing themselves to places of idolatry and causing scandal to the rest.
"For if a man see thee who hast knowledge, sitting at meat in an idol's temple, will not his conscience if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?" After having said, "Take heed lest this your liberty become a stumbling-block," he explains how and in what manner it becomes so: and he continually employs the term "weakness," that the mischief may not be thought to arise from the nature of the thing, nor demons appear formidable. As thus: "At present," saith he, "a man is on the point of withdrawing himself entirely from all idols; but when he sees you fond of loitering about them, he takes the circumstance for a recommendation and abides there himself also. So that not only his weakness, but also your ill-timed behavior, helps to further the plot against him; for it is you who make him weaker."
What sense is there in discussing the merely accidental, when that on which it rests is to be condemned? Do we believe it lawful for a human oath to be superadded to one divine, for a man to come under promise to another master after Christ, and to abjure father, mother, and all nearest kinsfolk, whom even the law has commanded us to honour and love next to God Himself, to whom the gospel, too, holding them only of less account than Christ, has in like manner rendered honour?
7 more voices on this verse
The Church Fathers1 voice
Paul is afraid that the weaker brother may be tempted to eat meat sacrificed to idols, not because he also possesses the knowledge that there is no such thing as an idol but because he might think that there is some spiritual power in such …
The Medieval Church1 voice
That is: if someone weak sees you, who call yourself perfect, eating food offered to idols, will he not find all the more reason to eat food offered to idols himself, and will he not be even more confirmed (this is what "dispose" means) in …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
For if any one see thee who hast knowledge - Whom he believes to have more knowledge than himself, and who really hast this knowledge, that an idol is nothing-sitting down to an entertainment in an idol temple. The heathens frequently made entertainments in their temples, on what hath been sacrificed to their idols. Will not the conscience of him that is weak - Scrupulous.
Nay, feasts, as Athenæus informs us, were always accounted, among the heathen, sacred and religious things, so that they were wont to sacrifice before all their feasts; and it was accounted a very profane thing among them, athyta esthiein, to eat at their private tables any meat whereof they had not first sacrificed on such occasions.
), because it plainly showed that they thought the idols nothing. But eating and drinking are in themselves actions indifferent. It matters little what we eat.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
For if any man see thee which hast knowledge,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For if any man - Any Christian brother who is ignorant, or anyone who might otherwise become a Christian. Which hast knowledge - Who are fully informed in regard to the real nature of idol worship. You will be looked up to as an example. You will be presumed to be partaking of this feast in honor of the idol. You will thus encourage him, and he will partake of it with a conscientious regard to the idol. Sit at meat - Sitting down to an entertainment in the temple of the idol. Feasts were often celebrated, as they are now among the pagan, in honor of idols. Those entertainments were either in the temple of the idol, or at the house of him who gave it. Shall not the conscience of him which is weak - Of the man who is not fully informed, or who still regards the idol with superstitious feelings; see 1Co 8:7. Be emboldened - Margin, “Edified” οἰκοδομηθήσεται oikodomēthēsetai. Confirmed; established. So the word “edify” is commonly used in the New Testament; Act 9:31; Rom 14:19; Eph 4:12; 1Th 5:11. The sense here is, “Before this he had a superstitious regard for idols. He had the remains of his former feelings and opinions. But he was not established in the belief that an idol was anything; and his superstitious feelings were fast giving way to the better Christian doctrine that they were nothing. But now, by your example, he will be fully confirmed in the belief that an idol is to be regarded with respect and homage. He will see you in the very temple, partaking of a feast in honor of the idol; and he will infer not only that it is right, but that it is a matter of conscience with you, and will follow your example.”
The words behind it
23 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 |
| γάρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| τις | tis | anyone | G5100 → | 528 times |
| ἴδῃ | ide | shall see | G1492 → | 374 times |
| σὲ | se | you | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| τὸν | ton | who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔχοντα | echonta | is having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| γνῶσιν | gnosin | knowledge | G1108 → | 29 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| εἰδωλείῳ | eidoleio | an idol’s temple | G1493 → | |
| κατακείμενον, | katakeimenon | eating, | G2621 → | |
| οὐχὶ | ouchi | surely | G3780 → | 54 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συνείδησις | suneidesis | conscience | G4893 → | 30 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀσθενοῦς | asthenous | weak | G772 → | 26 times |
| ὄντος | ontos | being | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| οἰκοδομηθήσεται | oikodomethesetai | he will be encouraged | G3618 → | 40 times |
| εἰς | eis | <to> | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| εἰδωλόθυτα | eidolothuta | idol-sacrifices | G1494 → | 9 times |
| ἐσθίειν; | esthiein | to eat? | G2068 → | 65 times |
ἐὰνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
γάρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
τιςanyone
tisG5100 →528 times
ἴδῃshall see
ideG1492 →374 times
σὲyou
seG4771 →2973 times
τὸνwho
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἔχονταis having
echontaG2192 →707 times
γνῶσινknowledge
gnosinG1108 →29 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
εἰδωλείῳan idol’s temple
eidoleioG1493 →
κατακείμενον,eating,
katakeimenonG2621 →
οὐχὶsurely
ouchiG3780 →54 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
συνείδησιςconscience
suneidesisG4893 →30 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἀσθενοῦςweak
asthenousG772 →26 times
ὄντοςbeing
ontosG1510 →2333 times
οἰκοδομηθήσεταιhe will be encouraged
oikodomethesetaiG3618 →40 times
εἰς<to>
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
εἰδωλόθυταidol-sacrifices
eidolothutaG1494 →9 times
ἐσθίειν;to eat?
esthieinG2068 →65 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
Romans 14:23But the one who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
- Titus 1:15
To the pure, all things are pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Indeed, both their minds and their consciences are defiled.
- 1 Corinthians 11:29–31
For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
- 1 Corinthians 8:7
But 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…
- Romans 14:5
One person regards a certain day above the others, while someone else considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
- Hebrews 11:6
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.
- Ephesians 4:6
one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
- 1 Corinthians 10:19–20
Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
- Deuteronomy 4:39
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 14 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; Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; Frederic Godet, Commentary on First Corinthians; John Chrysostom, Homily on 1 Corinthians 20; John Chrysostom, BAPTISMAL INSTRUCTIONS 6.16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, THE CHAPLET 10; Tertullian, On Idolatry; Tertullian, De Corona and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.