1 Y POR lo que hace á lo sacrificado á los ídolos, sabemos que todos tenemos ciencia. La ciencia hincha, mas la caridad edifica.

2 Y si alguno se imagina que sabe algo, aun no sabe nada como debe saber.

3 Mas si alguno ama á Dios, el tal es conocido de él.

4 Acerca, pues, de las viandas que son saacrificadas á los ídolos, sabemos que el ídolo nada es en el mundo, y que no hay más de un Dios.

5 Porque aunque haya algunos que se llamen dioses, ó en el cielo, ó en la tierra (como hay muchos dioses y muchos señores),

6 Nosotros empero no tenemos más de un Dios, el Padre, del cual son todas las cosas, y nosotros en él: y un Señor Jesucristo, por el cual son todas las cosas, y nosotros por él.

7 Mas no en todos hay esta ciencia: porque algunos con conciencia del ídolo hasta aquí, comen como sacrificado á ídolos; y su conciencia, siendo flaca, es contaminada.

8 Si bien la vianda no nos hace más aceptos á Dios: porque ni que comamos, seremos más ricos; ni que no comamos, seremos más pobres.

9 Mas mirad que esta vuestra libertad no sea tropezadero á los que son flacos.

10 Porque si te ve alguno, á ti que tienes ciencia, que estás sentado á la mesa en el lugar de los ídolos, ¿la conciencia de aquel que es flaco, no será adelantada á comer de lo sacrificado á los ídolos?

11 Y por tu ciencia se perderá el hermano flaco por el cual Cristo murió.

12 De esta manera, pues, pecando contra los hermanos, é hiriendo su flaca conciencia, contra Cristo pecáis.

13 Por lo cual, si la comida es á mi hermano ocasión de caer, jamás comeré carne por no escandalizar á mi hermano.

1 Now about things offered to images: we all seem to ourselves to have knowledge. Knowledge gives pride, but love gives true strength.

2 If anyone seems to himself to have knowledge, so far he has not the right sort of knowledge about anything;

3 But if anyone has love for God, God has knowledge of him.

4 So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one.

5 For though there are those who have the name of gods, in heaven or on earth, as there are a number of gods and a number of lords,

6 There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him.

7 Still, all men have not that knowledge: but some, being used till now to the image, are conscious that they are taking food which has been offered to the image; and because they are not strong in the faith, their minds are troubled.

8 But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better.

9 But take care that this power of yours does not give cause for trouble to the feeble.

10 For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, taking food as a guest in the house of an image, will it not give him, if he is feeble, the idea that he may take food offered to images?

11 And so, through your knowledge, you are the cause of destruction to your brother, for whom Christ underwent death.

12 And in this way, doing evil to the brothers, and causing trouble to those whose faith is feeble, you are sinning against Christ.

13 For this reason, if food is a cause of trouble to my brother, I will give up taking meat for ever, so that I may not be a cause of trouble to my brother.