Food Sacrificed to Idols (Ezekiel 14:1–11; Romans 14:13–23)
1 UDB Now, about the question you asked regarding eating food that was offered to idols: We know that people say, "We all have knowledge." But if you think you know much, you can become very proud of yourself. But when you love others, you help them grow strong in their faith. BSB BSB: Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 UDB The truth is that if someone assumes he knows something, he has not yet learned the humbleness he needs to know. BSB BSB: The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 UDB When you love God, God knows you. BSB BSB: But the one who loves God is known by God.
5 UDB But I know that some people say that many gods and lords exist in the heavens or on the earth—after all, there are many supernatural beings who have real power. BSB BSB: For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords),
6 UDB Yet even so, we say, "There is one God, the Father, from him comes all things, and for him we live. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ; he made everything there is, and he is the one who gives us life." BSB BSB: yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist. 7 UDB But not everyone knows this. Some worshiped an idol in earlier times, and now if they eat food sacrificed to an idol, they worry that they are still worshiping a god. They are torn between two opinions, and they are weak in their faith in Christ, so they feel they are honoring an idol when they eat food that has been offered to it. BSB BSB: But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.
8 UDB We know that the food we eat does not make us better or worse before God. BSB BSB: But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9 UDB But what is important is your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are free to eat that food, but you should not cause people to fall down in their faith because you have the freedom to eat it. BSB BSB: Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
10 UDB You know that idols were never alive, nor were they gods at all. But if brothers and sisters who do not know the difference between right and wrong see you eating in an idol's temple, they would think you were encouraging them to turn back to their idolatry. BSB BSB: For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
11 UDB As a result, if your weaker brother or sister sees you eat meat offered to idols because you have freedom in your mind to eat that food but they did not have the same freedom—you by acting as a free person could destroy your fellow believer for whom Christ died. BSB BSB: So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.
12 UDB So, you sin against your weaker brothers and sisters when you encourage them to do something that their sense of right and wrong tells them not to do. This is sinning against Christ. BSB BSB: By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13 UDB Therefore, if my brother or sister is unable to serve God well because he or she has seen me eat something, I will never eat meat again! I do not want to do anything that causes my brother or sister to fall. BSB BSB: Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.