1 N ow about food offered to idols: of course we know that all of us possess knowledge knowledge causes people to be puffed up (to bear themselves loftily and be proud), but love (affection and goodwill and benevolence) edifies and builds up and encourages one to grow.

أمّا فِي ما يَتَعَلَّقُ بِالذَّبائِحِ المُقَدَّمَةِ لِلأوثانِ، فَصَحِيحٌ قُولُكُمْ: «كُلُّنا نَعْرِفُ!» لَكِنَّ المَعْرِفَةَ تَنفُخُ النّاسَ بِالكِبرِياءِ، أمّا المَحَبَّةُ فَتَبنِيهِمْ.

2 I f anyone imagines that he has come to know and understand much, he does not yet perceive and recognize and understand as strongly and clearly, nor has he become as intimately acquainted with anything as he ought or as is necessary.

فَإنْ ظَنَّ أحَدُهُمْ أنَّهُ يَعْرِفُ، فَإنَّهُ لا يَعْرِفُ كَما يَنبَغِي.

3 B ut if one loves God truly '> with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God '> recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him].

لَكِنْ مَنْ يُحِبُّ اللهَ، فَإنَّهُ يَكُونُ مَعرُوفاً مِنَ اللهِ.

4 I n this matter, then, of eating food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing (has no real existence) and that there is no God but one.

فَفِي ما يَتَعَلَّقُ بِأكلِ لَحمِ الذَّبائِحِ المُقَدَّمَةِ لِلأوثانِ، نَعْرِفُ أنَّهُ لا يُوجَدُ وَثَنٌ حَقِيقِيٌّ فِي العالَمِ، وَأنَّهُ لا إلَهَ آخَرَ إلّا اللهُ وَحدَهُ.

5 F or although there may be so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many of them, both of gods and of lords and masters,

نَعْرِفُ أنَّ هُناكَ ما يُسَمَّى «آلِهَةً،» سَواءٌ أفِي السَّماءِ أمْ عَلَى الأرْضِ، وَأنَّ هُناكَ «آلِهَةً» كَثِيرِينَ وَ«أرباباً» كَثِيرِيْنَ.

6 Y et for us there is one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we.

أمّا بِالنِّسبَةِ لَنا، فَلا يُوجَدُ إلّا إلَهٌ واحِدٌ هُوَ الآبُ، الَّذِي مِنهُ تَأتِي كُلُّ الأشياءِ وَلَهُ نَحيا. وَلا يُوجَدُ إلّا رَبٌّ واحِدٌ، هُوَ يَسُوعُ المَسِيحُ الَّذِي بِهِ تُوجَدُ كُلُّ الأشياءِ وَبِهِ نَحيا.

7 N evertheless, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being all their lives until now accustomed to idols, still consider the food as that sacrificed to an god; and their weak consciences become defiled and injured if they eat.

لَكِنْ لا يعرِفُ الجَمِيعُ هَذِهِ الحَقيقةَ. فَبَعضُ النّاسِ كانوا قَدِ اعْتادُوا عَلَى عِبادَةِ الأوثانِ، فَعِنْدَما يَأكُلُونَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ اللَّحمِ مُعتَقِدِينَ أنَّهُ ذُبِحَ لِوَثَنٍ، يَشعُرُونَ بِالذَّنبِ لِأنَّ ضَمِيرَهُمْ ضَعِيفٌ.

8 N ow food will not cause our acceptance by God nor commend us to Him. Eating gives us no advantage; neither do we come short or become any worse if we do not eat.

غَيرَ أنَّ الطَّعامَ لا يُقَرِّبُنا مِنَ اللهِ. فَنَحنُ لا نَصِيرُ أسوَأ إنْ لَمْ نَأْكُلَ، وَلا نَكُونُ أًفضَلَ إنْ أكَلنا.

9 O nly be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous.

لَكِنِ انتَبِهُوا لِئَلّا يَصِيرَ حَقُّكُمْ فِي تَناوُلِ مِثلِ هَذِهِ الأطعِمَةِ سَبَباً فِي تَعَثُّرِ الضُّعَفاءِ.

10 F or suppose someone sees you, a man having knowledge reclining at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged and emboldened if he is weak and uncertain, and eat what is for the purpose of idol worship?

فَيا صاحِبَ المَعْرِفَةِ، ماذا لَو رَآكَ أحَدٌ ذُو ضَمِيرٍ ضَعِيفٍ تَجلِسُ وَتَأكُلُ فِي مَعبَدٍ لِلأوثانِ، ألا يَتَشَجَّعُ ضَمِيرُهُ فَيَأكُلَ مِنَ الأطعِمَةِ المُقَدَّمَةِ لِلأوثانِ؟

11 A nd so by your enlightenment (your knowledge of spiritual things), this weak man is ruined (is lost and perishes)—the brother for whom Christ (the Messiah) died!

وَهَكَذا تُؤدِّي مَعرِفَتُكَ إلَى تَدمِيرِ هَذا المُؤمِنِ، وَهُوَ أخُوكَ الَّذِي ماتَ المَسِيحُ مِنْ أجلِهِ!

12 A nd when you sin against your brethren in this way, wounding and damaging their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

وَإذْ تُخطِئونَ فِي حَقِّ إخْوَتِكُمْ وَتَجرَحُونَ ضَمِيرَهُمُ الضَّعِيفَ، فإنَّكُمْ تُخطِئونَ إلَى المَسِيحِ نَفسِهِ.

13 T herefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling or of hindering, I will not eat flesh forever, lest I cause my brother to be tripped up and fall and to be offended.

فَإنْ كانَ الطَّعامُ يَتَسَبَّبُ فِي أنْ يُخطِئَ أخِي، فَلَنْ آكُلَ لَحماً مَرَّةً أُخْرَى لِئلّا يُخطِئَ أخِي.