7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, ^athrough former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and ^btheir conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 ^cFood will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care ^dthat this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block ^eto the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating¹ in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged,² if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is ^fdestroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers³ and ^gwounding their conscience when it is weak, ^hyou sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, ⁱif food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Some Will Depart from the Faith

1 Now ^xthe Spirit expressly says that ^yin later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to ^zdeceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of ^aliars whose consciences are seared, 3 ^bwho forbid marriage and ^crequire abstinence from foods ^dthat God created ^eto be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

15 ^jTo the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and ^kunbelieving, nothing is pure; but both ^ltheir minds and their consciences are defiled.