1 Now|strong="G1161" I|strong="G3754" will|strong="G3956" write about|strong="G4012" meat|strong="G3588" that|strong="G3754" is|strong="G3588" sacrificed|strong="G1494" to|strong="G1494" idols|strong="G1494". It|strong="G1161" is|strong="G3588" certainly|strong="G2192" true that|strong="G3754" “we|strong="G3754" all|strong="G3956" have|strong="G2192" knowledge|strong="G1108",” as|strong="G1161" you|strong="G3754" say. But|strong="G1161" this|strong="G3588" knowledge|strong="G1108" only fills people|strong="G3956" with|strong="G4012" pride. It|strong="G1161" is|strong="G3588" love|strong="G0026" that|strong="G3754" helps the|strong="G3956" church grow stronger.
2 Those|strong="G1097" who|strong="G5100" think|strong="G1380" they|strong="G1487" know|strong="G1097" something|strong="G5100" do|strong="G1380" not|strong="G3768" yet|strong="G3768" know|strong="G1097" anything|strong="G5100" as|strong="G2531" they|strong="G1487" should|strong="G1163".
3 But|strong="G1161" whoever|strong="G3588" loves|strong="G0025" God|strong="G2316" is|strong="G2316" known|strong="G1097" by|strong="G5259" God|strong="G2316".
4 So|strong="G3767" this|strong="G3588" is|strong="G2316" what|strong="G3588" I|strong="G2532" say about|strong="G4012" eating|strong="G1035" meat|strong="G3588": We|strong="G1487" know|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3754" an|strong="G2532" idol|strong="G1497" is|strong="G2316" really nothing|strong="G3762" in|strong="G1722" the|strong="G3588" world|strong="G2889", and|strong="G2532" we|strong="G1487" know|strong="G1492" that|strong="G3754" there|strong="G1722" is|strong="G2316" only|strong="G1487" one|strong="G1520" God|strong="G2316".
5 It’s really not|strong="G1510" important if|strong="G1535" there|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" things|strong="G4183" called|strong="G3004" gods|strong="G2316" in|strong="G1722" heaven|strong="G3772" or|strong="G2532" on|strong="G1909" earth|strong="G1093"—and|strong="G2532" there|strong="G1510" are|strong="G1510" many|strong="G4183" of|strong="G2316" these “gods|strong="G2316"” and|strong="G2532" “lords|strong="G2962"” out|strong="G1510" there|strong="G1510".
6 For|strong="G1519" us|strong="G1519" there|strong="G3962" is|strong="G2316" only|strong="G2532" one|strong="G1520" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G2532" he|strong="G2532" is|strong="G2316" our|strong="G2316" Father|strong="G3962". All|strong="G3956" things|strong="G3956" came|strong="G1223" from|strong="G1537" him|strong="G0846", and|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" live for|strong="G1519" him|strong="G0846". And|strong="G2532" there|strong="G3962" is|strong="G2316" only|strong="G2532" one|strong="G1520" Lord|strong="G2962", Jesus|strong="G2424" Christ|strong="G5547". All|strong="G3956" things|strong="G3956" were|strong="G3956" made through|strong="G1223" him|strong="G0846", and|strong="G2532" we|strong="G2249" also|strong="G2532" have|strong="G2532" life through|strong="G1223" him|strong="G0846".
7 But|strong="G1161" not|strong="G3756" all|strong="G3956" people|strong="G3956" know this|strong="G3588". Some|strong="G5100" have|strong="G1510" had|strong="G1510" the|strong="G3956" habit of|strong="G5100" worshiping idols|strong="G1497". So|strong="G2532" now|strong="G1161" when|strong="G5613" they|strong="G0846" eat|strong="G2068" meat|strong="G3588", they|strong="G0846" still|strong="G2193" feel as|strong="G5613" if|strong="G5613" it|strong="G0846" belongs|strong="G1510" to|strong="G2193" an|strong="G1510" idol|strong="G1497". They|strong="G0846" are|strong="G1510" not|strong="G3756" sure that|strong="G3956" it|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" right|strong="G0737" to|strong="G2193" eat|strong="G2068" this|strong="G3588" meat|strong="G3588". So|strong="G2532" when|strong="G5613" they|strong="G0846" eat|strong="G2068" it|strong="G0846", they|strong="G0846" feel guilty.
8 But|strong="G1161" food|strong="G1033" will|strong="G2316" not|strong="G3756" bring|strong="G3936" us closer to|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316". Refusing to|strong="G2316" eat|strong="G2068" does|strong="G2068" not|strong="G3756" make|strong="G4052" us less|strong="G3756" pleasing to|strong="G2316" God|strong="G2316", and|strong="G1161" eating|strong="G2068" does|strong="G2068" not|strong="G3756" make|strong="G4052" us closer to|strong="G2316" him|strong="G3936".
9 But|strong="G1161" be|strong="G1096" careful|strong="G0991" with|strong="G1096" your|strong="G3778" freedom. Your|strong="G3778" freedom to|strong="G1849" eat anything may|strong="G0991" make|strong="G3361" those|strong="G3588" who|strong="G3588" have|strong="G1096" doubts about|strong="G3588" what|strong="G3588" they|strong="G1161" can eat fall into|strong="G1096" sin.
10 You|strong="G4771" understand that|strong="G3708" it’s all|strong="G3588" right|strong="G1519" to|strong="G1519" eat|strong="G2068" anything|strong="G5100", so|strong="G1519" you|strong="G4771" can eat|strong="G2068" even|strong="G1437" in|strong="G1722" an|strong="G2192" idol’s|strong="G1493" temple|strong="G0846". But|strong="G1063" someone|strong="G5100" who|strong="G3588" has|strong="G2192" doubts might|strong="G5100" see|strong="G3708" you|strong="G4771" eating|strong="G2068" there|strong="G1510", and|strong="G2068" this|strong="G3588" might|strong="G5100" encourage them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1519" eat|strong="G2068" meat|strong="G3588" sacrificed|strong="G1494" to|strong="G1519" idols|strong="G1494" too. But|strong="G1063" they|strong="G0846" really think it|strong="G0846" is|strong="G1510" wrong.
11 So|strong="G1223" this|strong="G3588" weak|strong="G0770" brother|strong="G0080" or|strong="G3739" sister—someone|strong="G3739" Christ|strong="G5547" died|strong="G0599" for|strong="G1063"—is|strong="G3739" lost|strong="G0622" because|strong="G1223" of|strong="G1223" your|strong="G4674" better understanding|strong="G1108".
12 When|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3779" sin|strong="G0264" against|strong="G1519" your|strong="G2532" brothers|strong="G0080" and|strong="G2532" sisters in|strong="G1519" Christ|strong="G5547" in|strong="G1519" this|strong="G3779" way|strong="G3779" and|strong="G2532" you|strong="G3779" hurt them|strong="G0846" by|strong="G2532" causing them|strong="G0846" to|strong="G1519" do|strong="G2532" things|strong="G0846" they|strong="G0846" feel are|strong="G3588" wrong, you|strong="G3779" are|strong="G3588" also|strong="G2532" sinning|strong="G0264" against|strong="G1519" Christ|strong="G5547".
13 So|strong="G2443" if|strong="G1487" the|strong="G3588" food|strong="G1033" I|strong="G1473" eat|strong="G2068" makes|strong="G4624" another believer fall|strong="G4624" into|strong="G1519" sin|strong="G4624", I|strong="G1473" will|strong="G0080" never|strong="G3756" eat|strong="G2068" meat|strong="G2907" again|strong="G1519". I|strong="G1473" will|strong="G0080" stop|strong="G3361" eating|strong="G2068" meat|strong="G2907", so|strong="G2443" that|strong="G2443" I|strong="G1473" will|strong="G0080" not|strong="G3756" make|strong="G3361" my|strong="G4624" brother|strong="G0080" or|strong="G3361" sister sin|strong="G4624".