Don’t Use Freedom to Harm Others’ Consciences
8[1-13] Now about things used for the worship of other faiths, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge is full of self-importance, but love builds up others. And if anyone thinks that they know any thing, they don’t know anything as they should. But if anyone loves God, this person is known by God.
As about the eating of what is offered in worship of other faiths, we know that something worshiped falsely isn’t anything in the world but a statue, and that there’s no other God but One. Though there are other things that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there are many gods, and many saviors,) there’s only one God to us, the God, who is the Creator of everything, and we are in God; and one Savior, Yeshua, the Christ, through whom everything exists, and we live through Christ.
But everyone doesn’t have that knowledge, because some with consciences of the false worship still to this time, eat it as a thing used in false worship; and their consciences being weak are ruined. But food doesn’t commit us to God, because if we eat, we aren’t any better; and if we don’t eat, we aren’t any worse. But be careful that this freedom of yours doesn’t become a problem in some way to those who are weaker.
So if anyone who has knowledge takes a meal in their pace of false worship, won’t the conscience of those who are weak be encouraged to eat what is offered in worship to statues; And through your knowledge won’t the weak Christian be ruined, for whom Christ died? But when you sin this way against the Christians, and wound their weak consciences, you sin against Christ. So if certain foods make me offend other Christians, then I won’t eat it while the world is still here, because I might offend another Christian.
On the Rights of A Follower of Christ
9[1-10] Am I not a follower? Am I not free? Haven’t I seen Yeshua, the Christ, our Savior? Aren’t you my work in God? If I am not a follower to others, still doubtless, I am to you, because you’re the proof of my work in God. My answer to those who question me is this: Don’t we have the right to eat and to drink? Don’t we have the right to take with us a spouse, too, as the other followers do, and as the families of Yeshua, and Peter do? Or do only Barnabas and I, have no right to take time off? Who goes to fight at their own expense? Who plants a garden, and doesn’t eat its fruit? Or who feeds a herd, and doesn’t drink the milk from the herd? Do I say this as just a person? Or doesn’t the Word of God say the same things also?
The Word of God says by Moses, “You shouldn’t muzzle the mouth of the cow that treads out the corn.” Doesn’t God take care of the cow? Or was it said for our own sakes? It was said for our sakes, no doubt, because it’s written that “Whoever plows should plow in hope; and that whoever threshes in hope, should get from what they had hoped.”
Give the New Word of Christ without Charge
[11-19] If we’ve sown to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your worldly things? If others have this right over you, shouldn’t we have more right than they? Even so we haven’t even used this right; but suffer through everything, so we won’t hinder the New Word of Christ. Don’t you know that those who minister in holy things live off the things from the place of worship? And those who serve at the altar take from what is brought to the altar?
Just like this, God has said that those who preach the New Word would live off of preaching the New Word. But I’ve used none of these rights: nor have I written this that it would be this way for me, because it would be better for me to die, than for anyone to make my bragging of no use. Though I preach the New Word, I don’t have anything to brag about, because it’s necessary for me; yes, how sorry I would be, if I didn’t preach the New Word! But if I do this thing willingly, I’ll get a reward: but if it is against my will, I’ve been trusted with the responsibility of the New Word. What is my reward then?
