Food Sacrificed to Idols
(Ezekiel 14:1–11; Romans 14:13–23)

1Now concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone thinks to known anything, he does not yet know as it is necessary to know. 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

4Therefore concerning the eating of the things sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God† except one. 5For even if indeed there are those called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—just as there are many gods and many lords— 6yet to us there is one God the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through Him.

7But the knowledge is not in all. And some, by habit of the idol until now, eat such† as a thing sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak, it is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God; neither if we should eat do we fall short, nor if we should not eat do we excel.†

9But take care, lest somehow this authority of yours⁺ become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if anyone should see you, the one having knowledge, reclining in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him being weak be built up to eat the things sacrificed to idols? 11For the one being weak is destroyed by your knowledge—the brother for whom Christ died. 12And thus sinning against the brothers and wounding their conscience, it being weak, you⁺ sin against Christ.

13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, never shall I eat meat to the age, so that I shall not cause my brother to stumble.

Footnotes:

4 BYZ and TR include no other God.
7 BYZ and TR Some people with consciousness of the idol still eat such food
8 BYZ and TR We are no better if we do not eat, and no worse if we do