1 Corinthians 8:13

Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Paul addresses the Corinthian congregation regarding their dispute over food sacrificed to idols. He establishes a personal dietary restriction to prevent spiritual harm to fellow believers.

The words — The Greek σκανδαλίζει (skandalizei) literally means to place a stumbling block or snare, describing how an action traps another person. Paul couples this with βρῶμα (brōma), meaning food, to define the exact boundary of his voluntary renunciation.

The thread — The text's warning against causing a fellow believer to stumble runs directly through Romans 14:21, which advises against meat or wine if they cause stumbling. Paul echoes the same priority in 2 Corinthians 6:3 and 2 Corinthians 11:29 regarding removing obstacles to ministry and grieving over others' spiritual weakness.

Why it lands — The passage states that a permissible action must be permanently abandoned if it causes a brother to stumble. It requires readers to voluntarily limit their own freedoms to protect the conscience of others.

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

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

Cross-references

Romans 14:21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything to cause your brother to stumble.
2 Corinthians 6:3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
2 Corinthians 11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with grief?
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 13:5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs.
1 Corinthians 9:19 Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
1 Corinthians 9:12 If others have this right to your support, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not exercise this right. Instead, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
1 Corinthians 10:33 as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
2 Timothy 3:8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and disqualified from the faith.