1 E n cuanto a lo sacrificado a los ídolos, sabemos que todos tenemos conocimiento. El conocimiento envanece, pero el amor edifica.

I want to write about food that has been given as a gift in worship to a false god. We all know something about it. Knowing about it makes one feel important. But love makes one strong.

2 S i alguien cree que sabe algo, no ha aprendido todavía como debe saber;

The person who thinks he knows all the answers still has a lot to learn.

3 p ero si alguien ama a Dios, ése es conocido por El.

But if he loves God, he is known by God also.

4 P or tanto, en cuanto a comer de lo sacrificado a los ídolos, sabemos que un ídolo no es nada (no tiene verdadera existencia) en el mundo, y que no hay sino un solo Dios.

What about food that has been given as a gift to a false god in worship? Is it right? We know that a false god is not a god at all. There is only one God! There is no other.

5 P orque aunque haya algunos llamados dioses, ya sea en el cielo o en la tierra, como por cierto hay muchos dioses y muchos señores,

Men have thought there are many such gods and lords in the sky and on the earth.

6 p ero para nosotros hay un solo Dios, el Padre, de quien proceden todas las cosas y nosotros somos para El; y un solo Señor, Jesucristo, por quien son todas las cosas y por medio de El existimos nosotros.

But we know there is only one God. He is the Father. All things are from Him. He made us for Himself. There is one Lord. He is Jesus Christ. He made all things. He keeps us alive.

7 S in embargo, no todos tienen este conocimiento. Porque algunos, estando acostumbrados al ídolo hasta ahora, comen alimento como si éste fuera sacrificado a un ídolo, y su conciencia, siendo débil, se mancha.

Not all men know this. They have given food as a gift in worship to a god as if the god were alive. Some men have done this all their lives. If they eat such food, their hearts tell them it is wrong.

8 P ero la comida no nos recomendará a Dios, pues ni somos menos si no comemos, ni somos más si comemos.

Food will not bring us near to God. We are no worse if we do not eat it, or we are no better if we eat it.

9 P ero tengan cuidado, no sea que esta libertad (este derecho) de ustedes de alguna manera se convierta en piedra de tropiezo para el débil.

Since you are free to do as you please, be careful that this does not hurt a weak Christian.

10 P orque si alguien te ve a ti, que tienes conocimiento, sentado a la mesa en un templo de ídolos, ¿no será estimulada su conciencia, si él es débil, a comer lo sacrificado a los ídolos ?

A Christian who is weak may see you eat food in a place where it has been given as a gift to false gods in worship. Since he sees you eat it, he will eat it also.

11 P or tu conocimiento se perderá el que es débil, el hermano por quien Cristo murió.

You may make the weak Christian fall into sin by what you have done. Remember, he is a Christian brother for whom Christ died.

12 Y así, al pecar contra los hermanos y herir su conciencia cuando ésta es débil, pecan contra Cristo.

When you sin against a weak Christian by making him do what is wrong, you sin against Christ.

13 P or tanto, si la comida hace que mi hermano caiga en pecado, no comeré carne jamás, para no hacer pecar a mi hermano.

So then, if eating meat makes my Christian brother trip and fall, I will never eat it again. I do not want to make my Christian brother sin.