First Letter to the Corinthians

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.

But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn't yet know as he ought to know.

But if anyone loves God, the same is known by him.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

For though there are things that are called "gods," whether in the heavens or on earth; as there are many "gods" and many "lords;"

yet 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 live through him.

However, that knowledge isn't in all men. But some, with consciousness of the idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don't eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak.

For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol's temple, won't his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols?

And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forevermore, that I don't cause my brother to stumble.

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Haven't I seen Jesus Christ, our Lord? Aren't you my work in the Lord?

If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

My defense to those who examine me is this.

Have we no right to eat and to drink?

Have we no right to take along a wife who is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

Or have only Barnabas and I no right to not work?

What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard, and doesn't eat of its fruit? Or who feeds a flock, and doesn't drink from the flock's milk?