1 Corinthians 8:1

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
Now	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
touching	Περὶ Peri	G4012	properly · preposition
idols	εἰδωλοθύτων, eidōlothutōn	G1494	an image-sacrifice · adjective — genitive plural neuter
know	εἴδω eídō	G1492	used only in certain past tenses
that	ὅτι hoti	G3754	demonstrative · conjunction
we	ἔχομεν. echomen	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications · verb — present active indicative, 1st person plural
all	πάντες pantes	G3956	all · adjective — nominative plural masculine
have	ἔχω échō	G2192	to hold (used in very various applications
knowledge	γνῶσιν gnōsin	G1108	knowing (the act) · noun — accusative singular feminine
Knowledge	γνῶσις gnōsis	G1108	knowing (the act) · noun — nominative singular feminine
up	φυσιοῖ, phusioi	G5448	to inflate · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular
but	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
charity	ἀγάπη agapē	G26	love · noun — nominative singular feminine
edifieth	οἰκοδομεῖ. oikodomei	G3618	to be a house-builder · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person singular

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

1 Corinthians 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol…
Isaiah 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Romans 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
1 Corinthians 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, a…
Revelation 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblo…
Romans 15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one…
1 Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
Numbers 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

The apostle comes here to the case of things that had been offered to idols, concerning which some of them sought satisfaction: a case that frequently occurred in that age of Christianity, when the church of Christ was among the heathen, and the Israel of God must live among the Canaanites. For the better understanding of it, it must be observed that it was a custom among the heathens to make feasts on their sacrifices, and not only to eat themselves, but invite their friends to partake with them. These were usually kept in the temple, where the sacrifice was offered (Co1 8:10), and, if any thing was left when the feast ended, it was usual to carry away a portion to their friends; what remai…

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Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:1

As touching things offered unto idols - This was another subject on which the Corinthians had asked the apostle's advice, and we shall understand the whole of this chapter the better when we consider one fact, viz. That there had long subsisted a controversy between the Karaites and the Traditionists, how far it was lawful to derive any benefit or advantage from things used by the Gentiles. The Karaites were a sect of the Jews who scrupulously held to the letter of the sacred writings, taking this alone for their directory. The Traditionists were those who followed the voice of the elders, interpreting the Divine testimonies by their decisions. From a work of the Karaites, entitled Addereth…

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John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:1

Now as touching things offered unto idols,.... This was another of the things the Corinthians wrote to the apostle about, desiring to have his judgment in; it was a controversy that had been before moved, whether it was lawful to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols. This was considered in the council at Jerusalem, Acts 15:28 and it was agreed to, for the peace of the churches, that the Gentiles, among other things, be advised to abstain from them; which, it seems, the church at Corinth knew nothing of, for the controversy was now moved among them: some that were weak in the faith, and had not, at least, clear notions of Gospel liberty, thought it very criminal and sinful to eat them…

The Church Fathers

Paul means that knowledge only does good in company with love. Otherwise it merely puffs a man into pride.
— Augustine of Hippo, City of God 9.20

Paul means that knowledge is a great thing and very useful to the person who has it, as long as it is tempered by love.
— Ambrosiaster, COMMENTARY ON PAUL'S EPISTLES

But the knowledge of those who think themselves wise, whether the barbarian sects or the philosophers among the Greeks, according to the apostle, "puffeth up." But that knowledge, which is the scientific demonstration of what is delivered according to the true philosophy, is rounded on faith.
— Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 2

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Commandments · PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES — PRECEPTS OF PAUL. EXPLICITLY STATED OR IMPLIED IN DIDACTIC EPISTLES
Edification · Love leads to — Love leads to
Fraternity · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Pride · 4:1; — 4:1;

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

1 Corinthians 8:1

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:1

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:1

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 8:1

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:1

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:1

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 8:1-7

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 8:1–end