Parallel Verses
An Understandable Version
But [eating certain] foods will not improve our relationship to God; we are neither any worse off if we do not eat [certain things], nor are we any better off if we do eat them.
New American Standard Bible
But
King James Version
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.
Holman 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.
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.
A Conservative Version
But food does not present us to God, for neither if we eat are we ahead, nor if we do not eat are we behind.
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.
Amplified
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.
Anderson New Testament
But meat commends us not to God; for, neither if we eat are we better, nor, if we eat not, are we worse.
Bible in Basic English
But God's approval of us is not based on the food we take: if we do not take it we are no worse for it; and if we take it we are no better.
Common New Testament
But food will not commend us to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Daniel Mace New Testament
meat does not recommend us to God: if we eat, we are not the better men; if we don't eat, we are not the worse.
Darby Translation
But meat does not commend us to God; neither if we should not eat do we come short; nor if we should eat have we an advantage.
Godbey New Testament
But meat will not commend us to God; neither if we eat are we the better; nor if we eat not are we the worse.
Goodspeed New Testament
But food is not going to affect our standing with God. We are none the worse if we do not eat it, and none the better if we do.
John Wesley New Testament
But meat commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat, are we the better, nor if we eat not, are we the worse.
Julia Smith Translation
And food sets us not before God: for neither, if we eat, do we abound; neither if we eat not, do we want.
King James 2000
But food commends us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Lexham Expanded Bible
But food does not bring us close to God. For neither if we eat do we have more, nor if we do not eat do we lack.
Modern King James verseion
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.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Meat maketh us not acceptable to God: Neither if we eat are we the better: Neither if we eat not are we the worse.
Moffatt New Testament
Now mere food will not bring us any nearer to God; if we abstain we do not lose anything, and if we eat we do not gain anything.
Montgomery New Testament
Now food does not bring us nearness to God. Neither if we eat do we gain any advantage, nor if we eat not, do we lose any.
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 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.
Noyes New Testament
But food will not recommend us to God; if we do not eat, we are not the worse; nor if we do eat, are we the better.
Sawyer New Testament
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat not are we worse, nor if we eat are we better.
The Emphasized Bible
Food, indeed, will not commend us unto God, - neither, if we eat not, do we lack, nor, if we eat, do we abound.
Thomas Haweis New Testament
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither if we eat are we the better, or if we eat not are we the worse.
Twentieth Century New Testament
What we eat, however, will not bring us nearer to God. We lose nothing by not eating this food, and we gain nothing by eating it.
Webster
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.
Williams New Testament
Food will never bring us near to God. We are no worse if we do not eat it; we are no better if we do.
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.
Worrell New Testament
But food will not commend us to God; neither, if we eat not, are we lacking; nor, if we eat, do we abound.
Worsley New Testament
But meat does not recommend us to God; for neither, if we eat, are we the better; nor the worse, if we eat not.
Youngs 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;
Themes
Evil » Appearance of, to be avoided
Formalism » The insufficiency of
Topics
Interlinear
De
Ou
μή
me
not, no, that not, God forbid 9, lest, neither, no man , but, none, not translated,
Usage: 493
Oute
οὔτε
Oute
Usage: 68
Ean
ἐάν
Ean
Usage: 155
References
Watsons
Word Count of 37 Translations in 1 Corinthians 8:8
Verse Info
Context Readings
Concerning Food Sacrificed To Idols
7 However, not every person knows this [truth]. For some people have been so used to an idol all this time that they still think of the idol [as a reality] when eating food that has been sacrificed to it. And their weak conscience becomes polluted. [Note: These people cannot seem to shake off the idea that somehow the idol is real, so feel guilty of wrongdoing when eating food sacrificed to it]. 8 But [eating certain] foods will not improve our relationship to God; we are neither any worse off if we do not eat [certain things], nor are we any better off if we do eat them. 9 But pay attention [to this], so that somehow this liberty of yours [i.e., to eat whatever you want to] does not become an occasion over which weak people could fall [away from God].
Names
Cross References
Romans 14:17
For God's kingdom is not a matter of what people eat or drink, but [instead, it is a matter] of doing what is right, having peace [of heart] and having [inner] joy, which come from the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:13
"Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food;" but God will destroy both of them. Yet the body is not intended for sexual immorality, but is intended for the Lord's [honor and service]; and the Lord is for the body's [benefit].
Colossians 2:20-23
Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of the world, [then] why, as though you [still] lived in [harmony with] the world, do you submit yourselves to [its] rules, [such as]:
Hebrews 13:9
Do not continue to be swept off your course by all kinds of strange teachings. For it is good for your hearts to be strengthened by God's unearned favor [upon you] and not by [keeping regulations about] foods, which do not benefit those who observe them.