1 Corinthians 8:8
New International Version
But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

New Living Translation
It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.

English Standard Version
Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.

Berean Standard Bible
But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.

Berean Literal Bible
But food will not commend us to God; neither if we should eat do we come short, nor if we should not eat, do we have an advantage.

King James Bible
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

New King James Version
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

New American Standard Bible
Now food will not bring us close to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

NASB 1995
But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

NASB 1977
But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat.

Legacy Standard Bible
But food will not commend us to God. We neither lack if we do not eat, nor abound if we do eat.

Amplified Bible
Now food will not commend us to God nor bring us close to Him; we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better if we do eat.

Christian Standard Bible
Food will not bring us close to God. We are not worse off if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Food will not make us acceptable to God. We are not inferior if we don’t eat, and we are not better if we do eat.

American Standard Version
But food will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But food does not bring us to God, for if we eat, we gain nothing, and if we do not eat, we lose nothing.

Contemporary English Version
But food doesn't bring us any closer to God. We are no worse off if we don't eat, and we are no better off if we do.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But meat doth not commend us to God. For neither, if we eat, shall we have the more; nor, if we eat not, shall we have the less.

English Revised Version
But meat will not commend us to God: neither, if we eat not, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Food will not affect our relationship with God. We are no worse off if we eat [that food] and no better off if we don't.

Good News Translation
Food, however, will not improve our relation with God; we shall not lose anything if we do not eat, nor shall we gain anything if we do eat.

International Standard Version
However, food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat food that has been offered to an idol, and no better off if we do.

Literal Standard Version
But food does not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;

Majority Standard Bible
But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no better if we do not eat, and no worse if we do.

New American Bible
Now food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do.

NET Bible
Now food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do.

New Revised Standard Version
“Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.

New Heart English Bible
But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we do not eat, are we the worse; nor, if we eat, are we the better.

Webster's Bible Translation
But food commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat, are we the better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse.

Weymouth New Testament
It is true that a particular kind of food will not bring us into God's presence; we are neither inferior to others if we abstain from it, nor superior to them if we eat it.

World English Bible
But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat are we the worse, nor if we eat are we the better.

Young's Literal Translation
But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Food Sacrificed to Idols
7But not everyone has this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that they eat such food as if it were sacrificed to an idol. And since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 9Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.…

Cross References
Matthew 25:15
To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent--each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.


Treasury of Scripture

But meat commends us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

meat.

1 Corinthians 6:13
Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Colossians 2:20-23
Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, …

are we the better.

Jump to Previous
Abstain Advance Advantage Approval Based Better Commend Commendeth Eat Food God's Inferior Kind Meat Others Particular Presence Superior True. Victuals Worse
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Abstain Advance Advantage Approval Based Better Commend Commendeth Eat Food God's Inferior Kind Meat Others Particular Presence Superior True. Victuals Worse
1 Corinthians 8
1. To abstain from food offered to idols.
8. We must not abuse our Christian liberty, to the offense of our brothers;
11. but must bridle our knowledge with charity.














(8) But meat . . . .--By showing that the eating is a matter of indifference, the Apostle introduces his reason for yielding to the weakness of another. If the weakness involved a matter of our vital relation to God, then to yield would be wrong. But meat will not (future) affect our relationship to God. The concluding words of this verse are inverted in later MSS., as in the English version, and the better order is: "Neither, if we eat not, do we lose anything in our relation to God; nor, if we eat, do we gain anything in our relation to Him."

Verse 8. - But meat commendeth us not to God; rather, will not recommend us. God would think none the better of them for eating idol sacrifices, even though they asserted thereby a freedom which was the reward of clear insight. This verse will serve to show why "fasting" is nowhere rigidly enjoined on Christians. If fasting is a help to our spiritual life, then we should practise it, but with the distinct apprehension of the truth that God will think none the better of us merely because we eat less, but only if the fasting be a successful means of making us more pure and more loving. If the Bible had been in the hands of the people during the Middle Ages, this verse would have rendered impossible the idle superstition that to eat meat in Lent was one of the deadliest sins, or that there was any merit whatever in the Lenten fast except as a means of self improvement and self mastery. This verse says expressly, "We lose nothing by not eating; we gain nothing by eating."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

food
βρῶμα (brōma)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1033: Food of any kind. From the base of bibrosko; food, especially articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law.

does not bring us closer
παραστήσει (parastēsei)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3936: Or prolonged paristano from para and histemi; to stand beside, i.e. to exhibit, proffer, recommend, substantiate; or to be at hand, aid.

to
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

God:
Θεῷ (Theō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

We are no worse
ὑστερούμεθα (hysteroumetha)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 5302: From husteros; to be later, i.e. to be inferior; generally, to fall short.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

we do not eat,
φάγωμεν (phagōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.

[and]
οὔτε (oute)
Conjunction
Strong's 3777: And not, neither, nor. From ou and te; not too, i.e. Neither or nor; by analogy, not even.

no
μὴ (mē)
Conjunction
Strong's 3361: Not, lest. A primary particle of qualified negation; not, lest; also (whereas ou expects an affirmative one) whether.

[better]
περισσεύομεν (perisseuomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 4052: From perissos; to superabound, be in excess, be superfluous; also to cause to superabound or excel.

if
ἐὰν (ean)
Conjunction
Strong's 1437: If. From ei and an; a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.

we do.
φάγωμεν (phagōmen)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.


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NT Letters: 1 Corinthians 8:8 But food will not commend us (1 Cor. 1C iC 1Cor i cor icor)
1 Corinthians 8:7
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