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1 Corinthians 8

1 Cor. 8:1 KJV (With Strong’s)

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1
Now
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
de (Greek #1161)
but, and, etc.
KJV usage: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
Pronounce: deh
Origin: a primary particle (adversative or continuative)
as touching
peri (Greek #4012)
properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period)
KJV usage: (there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with. In comparative, it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).
Pronounce: per-ee'
Origin: from the base of 4008
things offeredq unto idols
eidolothuton (Greek #1494)
an image-sacrifice, i.e. part of an idolatrous offering
KJV usage: (meat, thing that is) offered (in sacrifice, sacrificed) to (unto) idols.
Pronounce: i-do-loth'-oo-ton
Origin: neuter of a compound of 1497 and a presumed derivative of 2380
, we know
eido (Greek #1492)
used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent 3700 and 3708; properly, to see (literally or figuratively); by implication, (in the perfect tense only) to know
KJV usage: be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) know(-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wish, wot. Compare 3700.
Pronounce: i'-do
Origin: a primary verb
that
hoti (Greek #3754)
demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because
KJV usage: as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.
Pronounce: hot'-ee
Origin: neuter of 3748 as conjunction
we
echo (Greek #2192)
(used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
KJV usage: be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
Pronounce: ekh'-o
Origin: σχέω (skheh'-o)
all
pas (Greek #3956)
apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole
KJV usage: all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.
Pronounce: pas
Origin: including all the forms of declension
have
echo (Greek #2192)
(used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition)
KJV usage: be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.
Pronounce: ekh'-o
Origin: σχέω (skheh'-o)
knowledge
gnosis (Greek #1108)
knowing (the act), i.e. (by implication) knowledge
KJV usage: knowledge, science.
Pronounce: gno'-sis
Origin: from 1097
t. Knowledge
ho (Greek #3588)
the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)
KJV usage: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.
Pronounce: ho
Origin: ἡ (hay), and the neuter τό (to) in all their inflections
gnosis (Greek #1108)
knowing (the act), i.e. (by implication) knowledge
KJV usage: knowledge, science.
Pronounce: gno'-sis
Origin: from 1097
u puffeth up
phusioo (Greek #5448)
to inflate, i.e. (figuratively) make proud (haughty)
KJV usage: puff up.
Pronounce: foo-see-o'-o
Origin: from 5449 in the primary sense of blowing
, but
de (Greek #1161)
but, and, etc.
KJV usage: also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).
Pronounce: deh
Origin: a primary particle (adversative or continuative)
charity
agape (Greek #26)
love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast
KJV usage: (feast of) charity(-ably), dear, love.
Pronounce: ag-ah'-pay
Origin: from 25
v edifieth
oikodomeo (Greek #3618)
to be a house-builder, i.e. construct or (figuratively) confirm
KJV usage: (be in) build(-er, -ing, up), edify, embolden.
Pronounce: oy-kod-om-eh'-o
Origin: from the same as 3619
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q
Acts 15:10,20• 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. (Acts 15:10,20)
t
Rom. 14:14,22• 14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
 22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. (Rom. 14:14,22)
u
Isa. 47:10• 10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. (Isa. 47:10)
v
1 Cor. 13•  (1 Cor. 13)

More on:

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Charity,
Idolatry

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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1-7:  To abstain from meats offered to idols.
8-10:  We must not abuse our Christian liberty, to the offence of our brethren;
11-13:  but must bridle our knowledge with charity.
touching.
1 Cor. 8:10• 10For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; (1 Cor. 8:10)
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1 Cor. 10:19‑22,28• 19What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
 20But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
 21Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
 22Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
 28But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: (1 Cor. 10:19‑22,28)
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Num. 25:2• 2And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. (Num. 25:2)
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Acts 15:10,19‑20,29• 10Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
 19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
 20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
 29That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well. (Acts 15:10,19‑20,29)
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Acts 21:25• 25As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. (Acts 21:25)
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Rev. 2:14,20• 14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
 20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Rev. 2:14,20)
we are.
1 Cor. 8:2,4,7,11• 2And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
 4As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
 7Howbeit 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; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
 11And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? (1 Cor. 8:2,4,7,11)
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1 Cor. 1:5• 5That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; (1 Cor. 1:5)
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1 Cor. 4:10• 10We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. (1 Cor. 4:10)
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1 Cor. 13:2• 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (1 Cor. 13:2)
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1 Cor. 14:20• 20Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. (1 Cor. 14:20)
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1 Cor. 15:34• 34Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. (1 Cor. 15:34)
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Rom. 14:14,22• 14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
 22Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. (Rom. 14:14,22)
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Col. 2:18• 18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, (Col. 2:18)
Knowledge.
1 Cor. 4:18• 18Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. (1 Cor. 4:18)
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1 Cor. 5:2,6• 2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
 6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Cor. 5:2,6)
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1 Cor. 13:4• 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (1 Cor. 13:4)
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Isa. 5:21• 21Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isa. 5:21)
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Isa. 47:10• 10For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. (Isa. 47:10)
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Rom. 11:25• 25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. (Rom. 11:25)
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Rom. 12:16• 16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (Rom. 12:16)
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Rom. 14:3,10• 3Let 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.
 10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (Rom. 14:3,10)
but.
1 Cor. 13:1‑13• 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
 8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Cor. 13:1‑13)
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Eph. 4:16• 16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Eph. 4:16)
• If we look at it as knowledge that we possess, it does but puff us up; it is something in me, my knowledge. True Christian knowledge unfolded something in God. By means of that which is revealed, God, better known, became greater to the soul. (“1 Corinthians 8” by J.N. Darby)
• If we look at it as knowledge that we possess, it does but puff us up; it is something in me, my knowledge. True Christian knowledge unfolded something in God. By means of that which is revealed, God, better known, became greater to the soul. (“1 Corinthians 8” by J.N. Darby)
• The apostle does not dispute that we Christians as such have knowledge; but he soon proceeds to show how empty it is without that love which brings in the consideration of others, and, above all, God Himself. (“Notes on 1 Corinthians 8” by W. Kelly)

J. N. Darby Translation

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1
But concerning things sacrificed to idols, we knowa, (for we all have knowledge: knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

JND Translation Notes

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a
Two Greek words are used for "to know" in the New Testament -- ginosko and oida. The former signifies objective knowledge, what a man has learned or acquired. The English expression "being acquainted with" perhaps conveys the meaning. Oida conveys the thought of what is inward, the inward consciousness in the mind, intuitive knowledge not immediately derived from what is external. The difference between the two words is illustrated in John 8.55, "ye know (ginosko) him not; but I know (oida) him"; in John 13.7, "What I do thou dost not know (oida) now, but thou shalt know (ginosko) hereafter"; and in Heb. 8.11, "they shall not teach ... saying, Know (ginosko) the Lord; because all shall know (oida) me." The word oida is used of Christ as knowing the Father, and as knowing the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, of Paul's knowledge of a "man in Christ," and of the Christian's knowledge that he has eternal life. "I know whom I have believed," 2 Tim. 1.12 -- I have the inward conscious knowledge of who the person is. see also 1 Cor. 16.15; 2 Tim. 3.14 and 15 -- all of these refer to inward conscious knowledge. The difference between the significance of the two words is often slight; and objective knowledge may pass into conscious knowledge, but not vice versa. The Greek for conscience is derived from oida. see ch. 4.4, "I am conscious of nothing in myself," that is, not conscious of any fault. In the present passage, "We know that an idol is nothing" is conscious knowledge. "we all have knowledge" and "knowledge puffs up" is objective knowledge. "If any one think he knows (conscious knowledge), he knows (objectively) nothing yet as he ought to know it (objectively)." "he is known (objectively) of him," so "knowledge," ver. 10.

W. Kelly Translation

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But concerning the things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge; knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth.