1 Corinthians 8:11
in 1 Corinthians 8So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
KJV
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
⋯
This verse in 1 Corinthians 8
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And through thy knowledge - Because you knew that an idol was nothing, and that there could be really no danger of falling into idolatry from partaking of these entertainments. You will thus be the means of deceiving and destroying him. The argument of the apostle here is, that if This was to be the result, the duty of those who had this knowledge was plain. Shall the weak brother - The uninformed and ignorant Christian. That it means real Christian there can be no doubt.
This site's exposition
So this weak brother, for whom Christ died
on 1 Corinthians 8:11-12
The stronger believer's correct doctrine is weighed against the price Christ paid for the brother it may destroy. Wounding a weak conscience is sin against Christ, the logic of Acts 9:4, where the risen Lord asks Saul why he persecutes him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
If you love the weak person less because of the moral failing that makes him weak, consider the One who died on his behalf.
A commentator
Theodoret of CyrusCOMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 217 · Written before 458.
proposed
Paul magnifies the accusation in order to prevent people from committing the crime.
"And through thy meat he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died." For there are two things which deprive you of excuse in this mischief; one, that he is weak, the other, that he is thy brother: rather, I should say, there is a third also, and one more terrible than all. What then is this? That whereas Christ refused not even to die for him, thou canst not bear even to accommodate thyself to him. By these means, you see, he reminds the perfect man also, what he too was before, and that for him He died. And he said not, "For whom even to die was thy duty;" but what is much stronger, that even Christ died for his sake. "Did thy Lord then not refuse to die for him, and dost thou so make him of none account as not even to abstain from a polluted table for his sake? Yea, dost thou permit him to perish, after the salvation so wrought, and, what is still more grievous, 'for a morsel of meat?'" For he said not, "for thy perfectness," nor "for thy knowledge," but "for thy meat." So that the charges are four, and these extremely heavy: that it was a brother, that he was weak, and one of whom Christ made so much account as even to die for him, and that after all this for a "morsel of meat" he is destroyed.
It is plain, then, that Paul knew no other Christ besides Him alone, who both suffered, and was buried, and rose again, who was also born, and whom he speaks of as man. For after remarking, "But if Christ be preached, that He rose from the dead," he continues, rendering the reason of His incarnation, "For since by man came death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead."
The Medieval Church1 voice
Thus, your perfection will be the cause of the ruin of another, and moreover a weak one, and one for whom Christ died. "If Christ did not refuse even to die for him, how can you not abstain from foods, so that he may not …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? - And for whom thou wilt not lose a meal's meat, so far from dying for him! We see, Christ died even for them that perish.
): Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? Note, Those whom Christ hath redeemed with his most precious blood should be very precious and dear to us.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And through thy knowledge,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Scripture is our rule, not our suppositions as to consequences. More is involved in redemption than the salvation of man: the character of God as at once just and loving is vindicated even in the case of the lost for they might have been saved, and so even in their case Christ has not died in vain.
Shall the weak brother perish - Being first taught by thy conduct that there was no harm in thus eating, he grieves the Spirit of God; becomes again darkened and hardened; and, sliding back into idolatry, dies in it, and so finally perishes. For whom Christ died? - So we learn that a man may perish for whom Christ died: this admits of no quibble. If a man for whom Christ died, apostatizing from Christianity, (for he is called a brother though weak), return again to and die in idolatry, cannot go to heaven; then a man for whom Christ died may perish everlastingly. And if it were possible for a believer, whether strong or weak, to retrace his steps back to idolatry and die in it, surely it is possible for a man, who had escaped the pollutions that are in the world, to return to it, live and die in its spirit, and perish everlastingly also. Let him that readeth understand.
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπόλλυται | apollutai | Is destroyed | G622 → | 90 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [one] who | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀσθενῶν | asthenon | is being weak | G770 → | |
| ἐν | en | through | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σῇ | sea | your | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| γνώσει, | gnosei | knowledge, | G1108 → | 29 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφὸς | adelphos | brother | G80 → | 343 times |
| δι᾽ | di᾽ | for | G1223 → | 664 times |
| ὃν | hon | whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| Χριστὸς | christos | Christ | G5547 → | 523 times |
| ἀπέθανεν. | apethanen | died. | G599 → | 110 times |
ἀπόλλυταιIs destroyed
apollutaiG622 →90 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ὁthe [one] who
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀσθενῶνis being weak
asthenonG770 →
ἐνthrough
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
σῇyour
seaG4771 →2973 times
γνώσει,knowledge,
gnoseiG1108 →29 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφὸςbrother
adelphosG80 →343 times
δι᾽for
di᾽G1223 →664 times
ὃνwhom
honG3739 →1405 times
ΧριστὸςChrist
christosG5547 →523 times
ἀπέθανεν.died.
apethanenG599 →110 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 8:13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
it leads to
- Romans 14:21
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
- 2 Corinthians 6:3
We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- Romans 14:21
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 10:33as 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.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
- Galatians 1:10
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 9:19–23
Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
- 1 Corinthians 10:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Corinthians
This page draws on 11 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); Augustine of Hippo, QUESTIONS 71; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book III; 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 (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodoret of Cyrus, COMMENTARY ON THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS 217 and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.