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1 Corinthians 8:5

in 1 Corinthians 8

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth; as there are gods many, and lords many;

KJV

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

This verse in 1 Corinthians 8

Commentary

14 notes on this verse

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V · Written before 220.

Assuredly also, when (the apostle) rules that marriage should be "only in the Lord," that no Christian should intermarry with a heathen, he maintains a law of the Creator, who everywhere prohibits marriage with strangers. But when he says, "although there be that are called gods, whether in l heaven or in earth," the meaning of his words is clear-not as if there were gods in reality, but as if there were some who are called gods, without being truly so.

This site's exposition

So about eating food sacrificed to idols

on 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Verse 6 confesses one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, words drawn from the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4. One Lord stands beside one God without division, the Father as source and the Son as agent.

This site's exposition

many so-called gods and lords

Paul grants the name and withholds the reality. Theodore of Mopsuestia and Tertullian read so-called as a denial that such gods exist, for they bear the title of deity without its nature.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book III · Written before 220.

proposed

For the name of God, as being the natural designation of Deity, may be ascribed to all those beings for whom a divine nature is claimed,-as, for instance, even to idols. The apostle says: "For there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth." The name of Christ, however, does not arise from nature, but from dispensation; and so becomes the proper name of Him to whom it accrues in consequence of the dispensation.

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Marcion Book V · Written before 220.

proposed

If, owing to the fault of human error, the word God has become a common name (since in the world there are said and believed to be "gods many" ), yet "the blessed God," (who is "the Father) of our Lord Jesus Christ," will be understood to be no other God than the Creator, who both blessed all things (that He had made), as you find in Genesis, and is Himself "blessed by all things," as Daniel tells us.

A commentator

Tertullian

Against Hermogenes · Written before 220.

proposed

For "although there be that are called gods" in name, "whether in heaven or in earth, yet to us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things; " whence the greater reason why, in our view, that which is the property of God ought to be regarded as pertaining to God alone, and why (as I have already said) that should cease to be such a property, when it is shared by another being.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on 1 Corinthians 20 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as there are gods many and lords many; yet to us there is one God, the Father, of Whom are all things, and we unto Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things, and we through Him." Since he had said, that "an idol is nothing" and that "there is no other God;" and yet there were idols and there were those that were called gods; that he might not seem to be contradicting plain facts, he goes on to say, "For though there be that are called gods, as indeed there are;" not absolutely, "there are;" but, "called," not in reality having this but in name: "be it in heaven or on earth:-in heaven," meaning the sun and the moon and the remainder of the choir of stars; for these too the Greeks worshipped: but upon the earth demons, and all those who had been made gods of men:-"yet to us there is One God, the Father." In the first instance having expressed it without the word "Father," and said, "there is no God but one," he now adds this also, when he had utterly cast out the others. Next, he adduces what indeed is the greatest token of divinity; "of Whom are all things." For this implies also that those others are not gods. For it is said, "Let the gods who made not the heaven and the earth perish." Then he subjoins what is not less than this, "and we unto Him." For when he saith, "of Whom are all things," he means the creation and the bringing of things out of nothing into existence. But when he saith, "and we unto Him," he speaks of the word of faith and mutual appropriation, as also he said before, "but of Him are ye also in Christ Jesus." In two ways we are of Him, by being made when we were not, and by being made believers. […]

A commentator

Theodore of Mopsuestia

PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH · Written before 428.

proposed

Paul says "so-called" here because he is showing that they do not really exist.
6 more voices on this verse

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on 1 Corinthians · Written before 1107.

proposed

Although he said that there is no other God, while the Greeks said that there are many gods, lest they consider him to be openly contradicting, he says: although there are "so-called" gods, that is, those who are called such, but who in truth are …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

He tells them that upon supposition that it were lawful in itself to eat of things offered to idols (for that they themselves are nothing), yet regard must be had to the weakness of Christian brethren, and nothing done that would lay a stumbling block before them, and occasion their sin and destruction,
For though there be that are called gods,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

That are called gods - Gods so called. The pagans everywhere worshipped multitudes, and gave to them the name of gods. Whether in heaven - Residing in heaven, as a part of the gods were supposed to do.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

"For even supposing there are (exist) gods so called (2Th 2:4), whether in heaven (as the sun, moon, and stars) or in earth (as deified kings, beasts, &c.), as there be (a recognized fact, De 10:17; 136:2) gods many and lords many." Angels and men in authority are termed gods in Scripture, as exercising a divinely delegated power under God (compare Ex 22:9, with Ex 22:28;

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

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

There be that are called gods - There are many images that are supposed to be representations of divinities: but these divinities are nothing, the figments of mere fancy; and these images have no corresponding realities. Whether in heaven or in earth - As the sun, moon, planets, stars, the ocean, rivers, trees, etc. And thus there are, nominally, gods many, and lords many.

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

    Deuteronomy 10:17

    For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.

    it leads to

    • Acts 10:34

      Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,

    • Romans 2:11

      For God does not show favoritism.

    • Daniel 2:47

      The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

    • Nehemiah 9:32

      So now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His gracious covenant, do not view lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, and upon our kings and leaders,…

    • Job 34:19

      who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.

  • Through

    2 Thessalonians 2:4

    He will oppose and exalt himself above every so-called god or object of worship. So he will seat himself in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

    it leads to

    • Ezekiel 28:2

      “Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of…

    • Daniel 7:25

      He will speak out against the Most High and oppress the saints of the Most High, intending to change the appointed times and laws; and the saints will be given into his hand for…

  • Through

    Galatians 4:8

    Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 8:4

      So 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.

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Corinthians

The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
The Last Supper, Leonardo da Vinci, 1495 to 1498. Public domain.
This page draws on 12 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); Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book V; Tertullian, Against Marcion Book III; Tertullian, Against Hermogenes; Theodore of Mopsuestia, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on 1 Corinthians.