1 Corinthians 8

8 ¹ Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that we all have knowledge. But knowledge puffs up, while love builds up. ² If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. ³ But if anyone loves our Father, he is known by him.

⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no Father but one. ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords" ⁶ —yet for us there is one our Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. ^a a v6 Here Paul sets the Father and the Son side by side: the one God is our Father, the source of all things, and the one Lord is Jesus, through whom all things came to be.

⁷ But not everyone has this knowledge. Some, still accustomed to idols until now, eat such food as if it were truly sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ But food will not bring us closer to our Father. We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. ⁹ But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, weak as it is, be emboldened to eat food sacrificed to idols? ¹¹ So by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed—the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² When you sin like this against your brothers and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble.