Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3But whoever loves God is known by God.8:2,3 An early manuscript and another ancient witness think they have knowledge do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves truly knows.
4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
7But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
Nnuane A Wɔde Ma Ahoni
1Asɛm a ɛfa nnuane a wɔde ma ahoni ho nso nie: Ɛyɛ nokorɛ pefee sɛ, “Yɛn nyinaa wɔ nimdeɛ.” Nanso, saa nimdeɛ no ma onipa yɛ ahantan; ɔdɔ deɛ, ɛma nkɔsoɔ. 2Onipa a ɔgye ne ho di sɛ ɔnim biribi no nnim sɛdeɛ anka ɛsɛ sɛ ɔhunu. 3Nanso, onipa a ɔdɔ Onyankopɔn no, Onyankopɔn nim no.
4Enti, nnuane a wɔde ma ahoni a wɔdi no, yɛnim sɛ ohoni wɔ hɔ ma biribi a ɛnte ase. Yɛnim sɛ Onyankopɔn baako pɛ na ɔwɔ hɔ. 5Nneɛma bebree wɔ soro ne asase so a yɛfrɛ wɔn anyame ne awuranom, nanso wɔn mu biara nyɛ anyame anaasɛ awuranom. 6Yɛwɔ Onyame baako pɛ a ɔyɛ Agya. Ɔno na ɔbɔɔ adeɛ nyinaa, na yɛte ase ma no. Yesu Kristo ne yɛn Awurade a Agya no nam ne so yɛɛ adeɛ nyinaa, na ɔmaa yɛn nkwa.
7Nanso, ɛnyɛ obiara na ɔnim saa nokwasɛm yi. Nnipa bi de wɔn ho ama ahoni no ara kɔsi sɛ, sɛ wɔdi saa nnuane no a, wɔnim pefee sɛ ohoni aduane na wɔredi. Esiane wɔn ahonim a ɛyɛ mmerɛ enti, wɔgye di nso sɛ aduane no gu wɔn ho fi. 8Ɛnyɛ aduane a yɛdie no na ɛtwe yɛn bɛn Onyankopɔn. Sɛ yɛanni saa aduane no a, yɛntɔ sin, ɛnna sɛ yɛdi nso a, yɛn mmoro so.
9Monhwɛ yie na moamma mo ahofadie no antwetwe wɔn a wɔyɛ mmerɛ wɔ gyidie mu no ankɔ bɔne mu. 10Sɛ ɛba sɛ obi a nʼahonim yɛ mmerɛ wɔ saa asɛm yi mu hunu sɛ wo a wowɔ “nimdeɛ” redidi wɔ ohoni dan mu a, ɛrenhyɛ no nkuran mma ɔno nso nkɔdi aduane a wɔde ama ahoni no bi anaa? 11Enti, saa onipa a ɔyɛ mmerɛ yi a ɔyɛ wo nua a Kristo wu maa no yi, ɛsiane wo “nimdeɛ” enti ɔbɛyera! 12Na ɛnam saa ɛkwan yi so bɛma woayɛ bɔne atia wo nuanom. Sɛ ɛba saa a, woyɛ bɔne tia Kristo nso, ɛfiri sɛ wonam wɔn adwenem mmerɛ so adaadaa wɔn. 13Enti, sɛ aduane ma me nua yɛ bɔne a, merenwe ɛnam bio sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a ɛremma me nua nkɔ bɔne mu.
