1 Corinthians 10 · Verse 28

1 Corinthians 10:28

But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
1 Corinthians 10:28, King James Version

1 Corinthians 10:28 in other translations

BSBBut if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—
WEBBut if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, with all its fullness.”
ASVBut if any man say unto you, This hath been offered in sacrifice, eat not, for his sake that showed it, and for conscience’ sake:
YLTand if any one may say to you, ‘This is a thing sacrificed to an idol,' --do not eat, because of that one who shewed it, and of the conscience, for the Lord's is the earth and its fulness:
DARBYBut if any one say to you, This is offered to holy purposes, do not eat, for his sake that pointed it out, and conscience sake;
BBEBut if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:
WebsterBut if any man shall say to you, This is offered in sacrifice to idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and its fullness:

What does 1 Corinthians 10:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. if any man--a weak Christian at table, wishing to warn his brother. offered in sacrifice unto idols--The oldest manuscripts omit "unto idols." At a heathen's table the expression, offensive to him, would naturally be avoided. for conscience' sake--not to cause a stumbling-block to the conscience of thy weak brother (1Co 8:10-12). for the earth is the Lord's, &c.--not in the oldest manuscripts.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 28. But if any man. If any fellow guest; any scrupulous fellow Christian who may be present. That the word "any" (τις) refers to a fellow guest seems evident; for it is not probable that the host would point out any part of the food on his own table, of the lawfulness of eating which he would suppose there was any doubt. Yet there might be present some scrupulous fellow Christian who would have strong doubts of the propriety of partaking of the food, and who would indicate it to the other guests.

For his sake that shewed it. Do not offend him; do not lead him into sin; do not pain and wound his feelings.

And for conscience sake". Eat not, out of respect to the conscientious scruples of him that told thee that it had been offered to idols. The word conscience refers to the conscience of the informer, (1Cor 10:29;) still he should make it a matter of conscience not to wound his weak brethren, or lead them into sin.

For the earth is the Lord's, etc. See 1Cor 10:26. These words are wanting in many MSS., (see Mill's Greek Testament,) and in the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic versions; and are omitted by Griesbach. Grotius says that they should be omitted. There might easily have been a mistake in transcribing them from 1Cor 10:26. The authority of the Mss., however, is in favour of retaining them; and they are quoted by the Greek fathers and commentators. If they are to be retained, they are to be interpreted, probably, in this sense: "There is no necessity that you should partake of this food. All things belong to God; and he has made ample provision for your wants without subjecting you to the necessity of eating this. Since this is the case, it is best to regard the scruples of those who have doubts of the propriety of eating this food, and to abstain."

(d) "not" 1Cor 8:10,12 (e) "the earth" 1Cor 10:26

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 This is offered in sacrifice unto idols - While they were not apprized of this circumstance they might lawfully eat; but when told that the flesh set before them had been offered to an idol, then they were not to eat, for the sake of his weak conscience who pointed out the circumstance. For the apostle still takes it for granted that even the flesh offered in sacrifice to an idol might be eaten innocently at any private table, as in that case they were no longer in danger of being partakers with devils, as this was no idol festival. For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof - This whole clause, which appears also in 1Cor 10:26, is wanting here in ABCDEFGH, several others, the Syriac, Erpen, Coptic, Sahidic, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, Itala; and in several of the fathers. Griesbach has left it out of the text: and Professor White says, "Certissime delendum;" it should most undoubtedly be erased. It has scarcely any authority to support it.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

There were cases wherein Christians might eat what had been offered to idols, without sin. Such as when the flesh was sold in the market as common food, for the priest to whom it had been given. But a Christian must not merely consider what is lawful, but what is expedient, and to edify others. Christianity by no means forbids the common offices of kindness, or allows uncourteous behaviour to any, however they may…

Read the full comment on 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 →

1 Corinthians 10:28 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐὰνeanIfG1437
δέdehoweverG1161
τιςtisanyoneG5100
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
εἴπῃ·eipēshall say;G2036
τοῦτοtoutoThisG3778
ἱερόθυτόνhi'erothutontemple-sacrifice
ἐστιν,estinis,G1510
μὴmēnotG3361
ἐσθίετεesthietedo eatG2068
δι᾽di᾽on account ofG1223
ἐκεῖνονekeinonhimG1565
τὸνtonwhichG3588
μηνύσανταmēnusantahaving shown [it]G3377
καὶkaiandG2532
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
συνείδησιν·suneidēsinconscience;G4893
τοῦtouof theG3588
γὰρgarforG1063
κυρίουkuriouLordG2962
ἡhē[is] theG3588
γῆgēearthG1093
καὶkaiandG2532
τὸtotheG3588
πλήρωμαplērōmafullnessG4138
αὐτῆς.autēsof her.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 10:28

  • 1 Corinthians 8:10-13

    For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

  • 1 Corinthians 8:7

    Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

  • Romans 14:15

    But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:26

    For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

  • Matthew 6:31-32

    Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

  • Psalms 115:16

    The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

  • Jeremiah 27:5-6

    I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

  • Exodus 9:29

    And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.

  • Deuteronomy 10:14

    Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.

  • Psalms 24:1

    A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
eat.
8:10-13; Ro 14:15
for.
26; Ex 9:29; De 10:14; Ps 24:1; 115:16; Jer 27:5,6; Mt 6:31,32

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Corinthians 10:27

    If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:28

    But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:

  • 1 Corinthians 10:29

    Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas si alguien os dijere: Esto fué sacrificado á los ídolos: no lo comáis, por causa de aquel que lo declaró, y por causa de la conciencia: porque del Señor es la tierra y lo que la hinche.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais si quelqu’un vous dit: Ceci a été offert en sacrifice, – n’en mangez pas, à cause de celui qui vous a avertis, et à cause de la conscience.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Wenn aber jemand zu euch sagt: Dies ist als Opfer dargebracht worden, so esset nicht, um jenes willen, der es anzeigt, und um des Gewissens willen,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si quis autem dixerit: Hoc immolatum est idolis: nolite manducare propter illum qui indicavit, et propter conscientiam: