²⁵ But as for the Gentiles who have believed, ^(A)we have sent a letter with our judgement that they should abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled,^[a] and from sexual immorality.”

Food Offered to Idols

8 Now concerning^{[a] (A)}food offered to idols: we know that ^(B)“all of us possess knowledge”. This “knowledge” ^(C)puffs up, ^(D)but love builds up.

⁴ Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ^(A)“an idol has no real existence”, and that ^(B)“there is no God but one.”

⁷ However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^(A)through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^(B)their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

¹⁰ For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating^[a] in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged,^[b] if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?

¹⁹ What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that ^(A)an idol is anything?

¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of ^(A)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might ^(B)eat food sacrificed to idols and ^(C)practise sexual immorality.

²⁰ But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman ^(A)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants^{[a] (B)}to practise sexual immorality and ^(C)to eat food sacrificed to idols.