1 Corinthians 8:8

 1 Corinthians 8:8

But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

a. ASV: But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

b. YLT: But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Now food [itself] will not cause our acceptance by God nor commend us to Him. Eating [food offered to idols] gives us no advantage; neither do we come short or become any worse if we do not eat [it]. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: But meat does not bring us closer to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither if we do not eat, are we the worse. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. NLT: It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.  [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

1. “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better…”

a. But [Strong: 1161 dé, deh; a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:—also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English).]

b. meat [Strong: 1033 brōma, bro'-mah; from the base of G977; food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially) articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law:—meat, victuals.]

c. commendeth [Strong: 3936 parístēmi, par-is'-tay-mee; from G3844 and G2476; to stand beside, i.e. (transitively) to exhibit, proffer, (specially), recommend, (figuratively) substantiate; or (intransitively) to be at hand (or ready), aid:—assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.]

d. us [Strong: 2248 hēmâs, hay-mas'; accusative case plural of G1473; us:—our, us, we.]

e. not [Strong: 3756 ou, oo; a primary word; the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not:—+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

f. [Strong: 3588. [tō] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tō] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, Hē, hé  hē, hai, tas.]

g. [to] God [Strong: theós, theh'-os; of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:—X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

h. for [Strong: 1063 gár, gar; a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):—and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

i. neither [Strong: 3777 oúte, oo'-teh; from G3756 and G5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:—neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

j. if [Strong: 1437 eán, eh-an'; from G1487 and G302; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty:—before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever).]

k. [we] eat [Strong: 5315 phágō, fag'-o; a primary verb (used as an alternate of G2068 in certain tenses); to eat (literally or figuratively):—eat, meat.]

l. [are we the] better [Strong: 4052 perisseúō, per-is-syoo'-o; from G4053; to superabound (in quantity or quality), be in excess, be superfluous; also (transitively) to cause to superabound or excel:—(make, more) abound, (have, have more) abundance (be more) abundant, be the better, enough and to spare, exceed, excel, increase, be left, redound, remain (over and above).]

2. “...neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.”

a. neither [Strong: 3777 oúte, oo'-teh; from G3756 and G5037; not too, i.e. neither or nor; by analogy, not even:—neither, none, nor (yet), (no, yet) not, nothing.]

b. if [Strong: 1437 eán, eh-an'; from G1487 and G302; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty:—before, but, except, (and) if, (if) so, (what-, whither-)soever, though, when (-soever), whether (or), to whom, (who-)so(-ever).]

c. [we] eat [Strong: 5315 phágō, fag'-o; a primary verb (used as an alternate of G2068 in certain tenses); to eat (literally or figuratively):—eat, meat.]

d. not [Strong: 3361 mḗ, may; a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:—any but (that), × forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

e. [are we] the worse [Strong: 5302 hustĕrĕō, hoos-ter-eh'-o; from G5306; to be later, i.e. (by implication) to be inferior; generally, to fall short (be deficient):—come behind (short), be destitute, fail, lack, suffer need, (be in) want, be the worse.]

1). Growing up Catholic we were not allowed to eat meat on Fridays. In 1966 the Vatican Council changed that law to allow it. The fact is the law not allowing Catholics to eat meat on Friday and their command that “priests” cannot get married are doctrines of devils.

a). 1 Timothy 4:1-5 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.   

2). Before there were any New Testament books written, the leaders at Jerusalem prayed and were led by the Holy Spirit to say this about eating meat sacrificed to idols.

a). Acts 15:23-29 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.

15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,

15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.

15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

15:29 That 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.

2). But Paul, inspired by God to write 1 Corinthians clarified this position, by adding Christian liberty.

  

a). 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 [NIV] Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

8:2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know.  8:3 But whoever loves God is known by God.

8:4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 

8:5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 

8:6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

8:7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 

8: But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 

8:10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 

8:11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 

8:12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 

8:13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

b). Romans 14:13-23 [NIV] Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 

8:14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 

8:15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 

8:16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 

8:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 

8:18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

8:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 

8:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 

8:21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

8:22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 

8:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.