4 Bible Verses about Meat

for the gospel dispensation does not consist in meats and drinks, but in piety and peace, and spiritual joy.

I know, being fully assured by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: it is only so to him that thinks it is unclean. now if your brother be endanger'd by your eating, you violate the obligations of love: for such a matter as eating, will you risk his life, for whom Christ died? Don't let our religion then be expos'd to reproach. read more.
for the gospel dispensation does not consist in meats and drinks, but in piety and peace, and spiritual joy. for he that thus pays his allegiance to Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore pursue those things which tend to peace, and mutual edification. do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence. it is better to abstain from flesh, and wine, and every thing whereby your brother is in danger of falling off. keep the persuasion you have, to your own conscience. blessed is he that approves himself to God, without making any difference about meats: for he that makes a difference, is self-condemn'd, if he eats against his own persuasion: for every action of that kind is sin .

Now as to things offered to idols, 'tis certain that the knowledge you all pretend to have, swells you with pride, but 'tis charity that edifieth. and if any man be conceited of his own knowledge, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. but if a man love God, the same is taught by him. read more.
As to the eating therefore of what is offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that the heathen deities have no real existence, and that there is but one God. for tho' there are several titular deities, both in heaven and on earth: such as the whole crowd of gods, and lords among the Gentiles; yet to us there is but one God, the father, from whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry. 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. but take care that this liberty of yours does not prove a scandal to the weak. for if any man see you who have a just notion of idols, sitting at table in their temple, will not the person who is wrong in his notions be incouraged to eat what is offered to idols, tho' contrary to his own opinion? so that your notions may endanger the life of thy weak brother, for whom Christ died. but when you thus offend against the brethren, by wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. wherefore if my eating makes my brother offend, I will never eat flesh rather than make my brother offend.

wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to knowing men: be you your selves the judges of what I say. the cup of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? read more.
for the bread being one, as many as we are, we are one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. consider the custom of the Jews by descent, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what say I then? that the idol, or that what is offered in sacrifice to the idol, is a matter of consequence? no, but that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not have you partake of the sacrifices of demons. you should not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you should not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? are all things lawful for me? yet all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? yet all things do not edify. Let no man consult barely his own interest: but every man that of others. whatever is sold in the shambles, that eat, without making any scrupulous enquiry. for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. if any of the unbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and you are disposed to go; whatever is set before you, eat, without asking any question out of a scruple of conscience. but if any man say to you, this is offered in sacrifice to an idol, don't eat, for his sake that mentioned it, and for conscience sake. when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience? if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. thus I endeavour to be acceptable to all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of others, so as they may be saved.

I know, being fully assured by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: it is only so to him that thinks it is unclean. now if your brother be endanger'd by your eating, you violate the obligations of love: for such a matter as eating, will you risk his life, for whom Christ died? Don't let our religion then be expos'd to reproach. read more.
for the gospel dispensation does not consist in meats and drinks, but in piety and peace, and spiritual joy. for he that thus pays his allegiance to Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore pursue those things which tend to peace, and mutual edification. do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising. all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence. it is better to abstain from flesh, and wine, and every thing whereby your brother is in danger of falling off. keep the persuasion you have, to your own conscience. blessed is he that approves himself to God, without making any difference about meats: for he that makes a difference, is self-condemn'd, if he eats against his own persuasion: for every action of that kind is sin .

Now as to things offered to idols, 'tis certain that the knowledge you all pretend to have, swells you with pride, but 'tis charity that edifieth. and if any man be conceited of his own knowledge, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know it. but if a man love God, the same is taught by him. read more.
As to the eating therefore of what is offered in sacrifice to idols, we know that the heathen deities have no real existence, and that there is but one God. for tho' there are several titular deities, both in heaven and on earth: such as the whole crowd of gods, and lords among the Gentiles; yet to us there is but one God, the father, from whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. But every one has not this knowledge: for some still imagine the idol represents a deity: and eat the meat under the notion of an offering to such a being: by which erroneous opinion they are infected with idolatry. 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. but take care that this liberty of yours does not prove a scandal to the weak. for if any man see you who have a just notion of idols, sitting at table in their temple, will not the person who is wrong in his notions be incouraged to eat what is offered to idols, tho' contrary to his own opinion? so that your notions may endanger the life of thy weak brother, for whom Christ died. but when you thus offend against the brethren, by wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. wherefore if my eating makes my brother offend, I will never eat flesh rather than make my brother offend.

wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to knowing men: be you your selves the judges of what I say. the cup of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? read more.
for the bread being one, as many as we are, we are one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. consider the custom of the Jews by descent, are not they which eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar? what say I then? that the idol, or that what is offered in sacrifice to the idol, is a matter of consequence? no, but that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not have you partake of the sacrifices of demons. you should not drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you should not be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? are all things lawful for me? yet all things are not expedient: are all things lawful for me? yet all things do not edify. Let no man consult barely his own interest: but every man that of others. whatever is sold in the shambles, that eat, without making any scrupulous enquiry. for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. if any of the unbelievers invite you to an entertainment, and you are disposed to go; whatever is set before you, eat, without asking any question out of a scruple of conscience. but if any man say to you, this is offered in sacrifice to an idol, don't eat, for his sake that mentioned it, and for conscience sake. when I say conscience, I don't mean your own, but that of the other: for why should I expose my liberty to the censure of another man's conscience? if I am thankful for what I have, why should I chuse to be evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. give no offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. thus I endeavour to be acceptable to all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage, but that of others, so as they may be saved.