1 Corinthians 8:5

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
For	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
though	εἴ περ eí per	G1512	if perhaps
be	εἰσί eisí	G1526	they are
called	λεγόμενοι legomenoi	G3004	properly · verb — present passive participle, nominative plural masculine
gods	θεοὶ theoi	G2316	figuratively · noun — nominative plural masculine
whether	εἴτε eite	G1535	if too · conditional particle
in	ἐν en	G1722	"in · preposition
heaven	οὐρανῷ ouranō	G3772	the sky · noun — dative singular masculine
or	εἴτε eite	G1535	if too · conditional particle
in	ἐπὶ epi	G1909	properly · preposition
earth	γῆς, gēs	G1093	soil · noun — genitive singular feminine
as	ὥσπερ hōsper	G5618	just as · conjunction
be	εἰσί eisí	G1526	they are
gods	θεοὶ theoi	G2316	figuratively · noun — nominative plural masculine
many	πολλοὶ polloi	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative plural masculine
and	καὶ kai	G2532	and · conjunction
lords	κύριοι kurioi	G2962	supreme in authority · noun — nominative plural masculine
many	πολλοί· polloi	G4183	(singular) much (in any respect) or (plural) many · adjective — nominative plural masculine

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

Jeremiah 2:28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the numb…
Galatians 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewi…
Deuteronomy 10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh rewa…
Jeremiah 2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Jeremiah 11:13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up alt…
Daniel 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
John 10:34-35 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are 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 8:4-6

In this passage he shows the vanity of idols: As to the eating of things that have been sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world; or, there is no idol in the world; or, an idol can do nothing in the world: for the form of expression in the original is elliptical. The meaning in the general is, that heathen idols have no divinity in them; and therefore the Old Testament they are commonly called lies and vanities, or lying vanities. They are merely imaginary gods, and many of them no better than imaginary beings; they have no power to pollute the creatures of God, and thereby render them unfit to be eaten by a child or servant of God. Every creature of God is good, if…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 8:5

"For even supposing there are (exist) gods so called (Th2 2:4), whether in heaven (as the sun, moon, and stars) or in earth (as deified kings, beasts, &c.), as there be (a recognized fact, Deu 10:17; Psa 135:5; Psa 136:2) gods many and lords many." Angels and men in authority are termed gods in Scripture, as exercising a divinely delegated power under God (compare Exo 22:9, with Exo 22:28; Psa 82:1, Psa 82:6; Joh 10:34-35).

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:5

There be that are called gods - There are many images that are supposed to be representations of divinities: but these divinities are nothing, the figments of mere fancy; and these images have no corresponding realities. Whether in heaven or in earth - As the sun, moon, planets, stars, the ocean, rivers, trees, etc. And thus there are, nominally, gods many, and lords many.

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:5

For though there be that are called gods,.... That are so by name, though not by nature; who are called so in Scripture, as angels and magistrates, or by men, who give them such names, and account them so: whether in heaven; as the sun, moon, and stars: or in earth; as men who formerly lived on earth; or various creatures on earth, who have been accounted deities; or stocks and stones graven by man's device: as there be gods many: almost without number, as were among the Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, and others; yea, even among the Jews, who falling into idolatry, their gods were according to the number of their cities, Jeremiah 2:28 and lords many; referring to the Baalim, or the several…

The Church Fathers

Paul says "so-called" here because he is showing that they do not really exist.
— Theodore of Mopsuestia, PAULINE COMMENTARY FROM THE GREEK CHURCH

For the name of God, as being the natural designation of Deity, may be ascribed to all those beings for whom a divine nature is claimed,-as, for instance, even to idols. The apostle says: "For there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth." The name of Christ, however, does not arise from nature, but from dispensation; and so becomes the proper name of Him to whom it accrues in consequence of the dispensation.
— Tertullian, Against Marcion Book III

For "although there be that are called gods" in name, "whether in heaven or in earth, yet to us there is but one God the Father, of whom are all things; " whence the greater reason why, in our view, that which is the property of God ought to be regarded as pertaining to God alone, and why (as I have already said) that should cease to be such a property, when it is shared by another being.
— Tertullian, Against Hermogenes

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

Fraternity · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Idolatry · Objects of, numerous — Objects of, numerous
Polytheism · 24:2,23; — 24:2,23;

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 8:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 8:5

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:5

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

1 Corinthians 8:5

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on 1 Corinthians 8:4-6

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Corinthians 8:5

Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 8:5

John Gill on 1 Corinthians 8:5

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on 1 Corinthians 8:1-7

Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Corinthians 8:4-6