1 Corinthians 8 WYC
Summary: Paul takes up the question of food sacrificed to idols, noting that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (v. 1) and that while an idol has no real existence and there is only one God and one Lord, not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some believers, formerly accustomed to idols, still have a weak conscience that is defiled if they eat food offered to an idol, believing it to be real. Paul therefore urges the Corinthians to be careful that their liberty not become a stumbling block to the weak, concluding, "if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (v. 13).
1But of these thingis that ben sacrified to ydols, we witen, for alle we han kunnyng. But kunnyng blowith, charite edefieth.
2But if ony man gessith, that he kan ony thing, he hath not yit knowe hou it bihoueth hym to kunne.
3And if ony man loueth God, this is knowun of hym.
4But of metis that ben offrid to idols, we witen, that an idol is no thing in the world, and that ther is no God but oon.
5For thouy ther ben summe that ben seid goddis, ethir in heuene, ether in erthe, as ther ben many goddis, and many lordis;
6netheles to vs is o God, the fadir, of whom ben alle thingis, and we in hym; and o Lord Jhesu Crist, bi whom ben alle thingis, and we bi hym.
7But not in alle men is kunnyng. For summen with conscience of ydol til now eten as thing offrid to idolis; and her conscience is defoulid, for it is sijk.
8Mete comendith vs not to God; for nether we schulen faile, if we eten not, nether if we eten, we schulen haue plente.
9But se ye, lest perauenture this your leeue be maad hurtyng to sijke men.
10For if ony man schal se hym, that hath kunnyng, etynge in a place where idols ben worschipid, whethir his conscience, sithen it is sijke, schal not be edified to ete thingis offrid to idols?
11And the sijk brothir, for whom Crist diede, schal perische in thi kunnyng.
12For thus ye synnyng ayens britheren, and smytynge her sijk conscience synnen ayens Crist.
13Wherfor if mete sclaundrith my brother, Y schal neuere ete fleisch, lest Y sclaundre my brothir.
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