| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. | 1About food offered to idols: We know that "we all have knowledge." Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. |
| 2If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. | 2If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. |
| 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. | 3But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. |
| 4Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” | 4About eating food offered to idols, then, we know that "an idol is nothing in the world," and that "there is no God but one." |
| 5For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— | 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth--as there are many "gods" and many "lords"-- |
| 6yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. | 6yet for us there is one God, the Father. All things are from Him, and we exist for Him. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. All things are through Him, and we exist through Him. |
| 7However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. | 7However, not everyone has this knowledge. In fact, some have been so used to idolatry up until now that when they eat food offered to an idol, their conscience, being weak, is defiled. |
| 8Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. | 8Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don't eat, and we are not better if we do eat. |
| 9But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. | 9But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak. |
| 10For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? | 10For if someone sees you, the one who has this knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, won't his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? |
| 11And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. | 11Then the weak person, the brother for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge. |
| 12Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. | 12Now when you sin like this against the brothers and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. |
| 13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. | 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won't cause my brother to fall. |
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