1 Coríntios 8:2-12

2 Se alguém cuida saber alguma coisa, ainda não sabe como convém saber.

3 Mas, se alguém ama a Deus, esse é conhececido dele.

4 Quanto, pois, ao comer das coisas sacrificadas aos ídolos, sabemos que o ídolo nada é no mundo, e que não há outro Deus, senão um só.

5 Pois, ainda que haja também alguns que se chamem deuses, quer no céu quer na terra (como há muitos deuses e muitos senhores),

6 todavia para nós há um só Deus, o Pai, de quem são todas as coisas e para quem nós vivemos; e um só Senhor, Jesus Cristo, pelo qual existem todas as coisas, e por ele nós também.

7 Entretanto, nem em todos há esse conhecimento; pois alguns há que, acostumados até agora com o ídolo, comem como de coisas sacrificadas a um ídolo; e a sua consciência, sendo fraca, contamina-se.

8 Não é, porém, a comida que nos há de recomendar a Deus; pois não somos piores se não comermos, nem melhores se comermos.

9 Mas, vede que essa liberdade vossa não venha a ser motivo de tropeço para os fracos.

10 Porque, se alguém te vir a ti, que tens ciência, reclinado � mesa em templo de ídolos, não será induzido, sendo a sua consciência fraca, a comer das coisas sacrificadas aos ídolos?

11 Pela tua ciência, pois, perece aquele que é fraco, o teu irmão por quem Cristo morreu.

12 Ora, pecando assim contra os irmãos, e ferindo-lhes a consciência quando fraca, pecais contra Cristo.

1 Coríntios 8:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CORINTHIANS 8

In this chapter the apostle proceeds to consider the case of eating things offered to idols, which, though an indifferent thing, was abused by many in the Corinthian church, to the scandal and hurt of weak Christians; wherefore the apostle dissuades from the use of it, and refutes the arguments which were used by them in defence of their practice. And the general foundation on which they proceeded being their knowledge of Christian liberty, he begins with that; and makes answer to it, by granting, that he, and they, and all had knowledge in general; and by distinguishing between knowledge and charity, the one puffing up, and the other edifying: wherefore to argue from the one, to the disuse of the other, was wrong, 1Co 8:1 seeing that kind of knowledge, which was not accompanied with love, was no true knowledge, 1Co 8:2 but that was right which had annexed to it love to God, and our neighbour, 1Co 8:3 and then applies this observation to the case of things offered to idols; and explains the knowledge which some had, and boasted of, that an idol was nothing, and that there was but one God, 1Co 8:4 which latter he proves and confirms, partly by allowing that there were many nominal gods and lords, both in heaven and earth; but then they were only so by name, not by nature, 1Co 8:5 and partly by observing the common faith of Christians, that there is but one God, and one Lord Jesus, who are both described by their names and properties, 1Co 8:6 But now, though there was such knowledge concerning an idol, as nothing, and things offered to it, as indifferent, in some, this was not the case of all; who, as their knowledge was small, their consciences were weak, and were defiled by eating such things through the example of others, 1Co 8:7 wherefore it became such who had greater knowledge to abstain from eating them; partly from the unprofitableness of such eating to them with respect to divine acceptance, it making them neither better nor worse, 1Co 8:8 and partly from the harmfulness of it to others, it being a stumblingblock to the weak, which ought not to be laid in their way, 1Co 8:9 and emboldening to do so likewise to the injury of their weak consciences, 1Co 8:10 and so was to the loss and ruin of their peace and comfort, which is aggravated by their being brethren, and such for whom Christ died, 1Co 8:11. Thus by wounding their weak consciences, they that drew them into this practice, by their example, sinned both against their brethren, and Christ himself, 1Co 8:12. From all which the apostle concludes, that rather than offend a weak brother, it was right never to eat any flesh at all; and this he strengthens by his own example and resolution, 1Co 8:13.