Bible Strands
1 Corinthians 10:23
“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul writes to the Corinthian church, correcting their slogan of unrestricted freedom within a larger argument against provoking God (v. 22) and in favor of seeking others' good (v. 24).
The words — ἔξεστιν (exestin, "are lawful") states the permission; συμφέρει (sumpherei, "are profitable") sets the standard that overrides it. The Greek also carries μοι (moi, "to me"), the possessive Paul quotes back to expose the self-centered frame of the slogan.
The thread — 1 Corinthians 6:12 repeats the same two-beat structure verbatim; 1 Corinthians 8:9 applies the principle to a weak brother's conscience; Ephesians 4:29 restates the positive test as speech that "builds up."
Why it lands — The verse does not forbid anything; it adds a second question after "Can I?" — "Will it build up?" — and makes that second question the one that actually governs.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Cross-references
- 1 Corinthians 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me,” but I will not be mastered by anything.
- 1 Corinthians 8:9 Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
- Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.
- Romans 14:19 So then, let us pursue what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
- Romans 15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
- Romans 14:15 If your brother is distressed by what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother, for whom Christ died.
- 1 Corinthians 14:17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other one is not edified.
- 1 Corinthians 14:26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a psalm or a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All of these must be done to build up the church.
- 1 Corinthians 14:12 It is the same with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, strive to excel in gifts that build up the church.