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?

1 Corinthians 10:29, King James Version

1 Corinthians 10:29 in other translations

BSB	the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?
WEB	Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
ASV	conscience, I say, not thine own, but the other’s; for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
YLT	and conscience, I say, not of thyself, but of the other, for why is it that my liberty is judged by another's conscience?
DARBY	but conscience, I mean, not thine own, but that of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another conscience?
BBE	Right and wrong, I say, not for you, but for the other man; for the fact that I am free is not dependent on another man's sense of right or wrong.
Webster	Conscience, I say, not thy own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?

What does 1 Corinthians 10:29 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

29. Conscience ... of the other--the weak brother introduced in 1Co 10:28. for why is my liberty judged off another man's conscience?--Paul passes to the first person, to teach his converts by putting himself as it were in their position. The Greek terms for "the other" and "another" are distinct. "The other" is the one with whom Paul's and his Corinthian converts' concern is; "another" is any other with whom he and they have no concern. If a guest know the meat to be idol meat while I know it not, I have "liberty" to eat without being condemned by his "conscience" [Grotius]. Thus the "for," &c., is an argument for 1Co 10:27, "Eat, asking no questions." Or, Why should I give occasion by the rash use of my liberty that another should condemn it [Estius], or that my liberty should cause the destruction of my weak brother?" [Menochius]. Or, the words are those of the Corinthian objector (perhaps used in their letter, and so quoted by Paul), "Why is my liberty judged by another's conscience?" Why should not I be judged only by my own, and have liberty to do whatever it sanctions? Paul replies in 1Co 10:31, Your doing so ought always to be limited by regard to what most tends "to the glory of God" [Vatablus, Conybeare and Howson]. The first explanation is simplest; the "for," &c., in it refers to "not thine own" (that is, "not my own," in Paul's change to the first person); I am to abstain only in the case of liability to offend another's conscience; in cases where my own has no scruple, I am not bound, in God's judgment, by any other conscience than my own.

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

Barnes' Notes

Verse 29. Conscience, I say, not thine own. I know that you may have no scruples on the subject. I do not mean, that with you this need be a matter of conscience. I do not put it on that ground, as if an idol were anything, or as if it were in itself wrong, or as if the quality of the meat so offered had been changed; but I put it on the ground of not wounding the feelings of those who are scrupulous, or of leading them into sin.

For why is my liberty, etc. There is much difficulty in this clause; for as it now stands, it seems to be entirely contradictory to what the apostle had been saying: He had been urging them to have respect to other men's consciences, and in some sense to give up their liberty to their opinions and feelings. Macknight and some others understand it as an objection: "Perhaps you will say, But why is my liberty to be ruled by another man's conscience?" Doddridge supposes that this and 1Cor 10:30 come in as a kind of parenthesis, to prevent their extending his former caution beyond what he designed. "I speak only of acts obvious to human observation; for as to what immediately lies between God and my own soul, why is my liberty to be judged, arraigned, condemned at the bar of another man's conscience?" But it is probable that this is not an objection. The sense may be thus expressed: "I am free; I have liberty to partake of that food, if I please; there is no law against it, and it is not morally wrong: but if I do, when it is pointed out to me as having been sacrificed to idols, my liberty--the right which I exercise--will be misconstrued, misjudged, condemned (for so the word κρινεται seems to be used here) by others. The weak and scrupulous believer will censure, judge, condemn me as regardless of what is proper, and as disposed to fall in with the customs of idolaters; and will suppose that I cannot have a good conscience. Under these circumstances, why should I act so as to expose myself to this censure and condemnation? It is better for me to abstain, and not to use this liberty in the case, but to deny myself for the sake of others."

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 29 For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? etc. - Though in the case of flesh offered to idols, and other matters connected with idolatry, (on which it appears there was much of a tender conscience among some of the Corinthians), it was necessary to sacrifice something to an over-scrupulous conscience, yet the Gospel of Christ did not lay any man under this general burthen, that he must do nothing at which any weak brother might feel hurt or be stumbled; for the liberty of the Gospel must not take for its rule the scrupulosity of any conscience; for if a man, by grace - by the allowance or authority of the Gospel, partake of any thing that God's bounty has sent, and which the Gospel has not forbidden, and give thanks to God for the blessing, no man has right or authority to condemn such a person. This seems to be the meaning of these two verses; and they read a lesson of caution to rash judges, and to those who are apt to take offense.

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 10:29 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.

συνείδησινsuneidēsin[the] conscienceG4893

δὲdenowG1161

λέγωlegōI am sayingG3004

οὐχὶouchi[is] notG3780

τὴνtēn<the>G3588

ἑαυτοῦhe'autouyour ownG1438

ἀλλὰallabutG235

τὴνtēnthatG3588

τοῦtouof theG3588

ἑτέρου.heterouother.G2087

ἱνατίhinatiso whyG2443

γὰρgarforG1063

ἡhētheG3588

ἐλευθερίαeleutheriafreedomG1657

μουmouof mineG3165

κρίνεταιkrinetaiis judgedG2919

ὑπὸhupobyG5259

ἄλληςallēsanother’sG243

συνειδήσεως;suneidēseōsconscience?G4893

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

Cross references for 1 Corinthians 10:29

1 Corinthians 9:19
For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Romans 14:15-21
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. …
1 Corinthians 8:9-13
But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 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. …
1 Corinthians 10:32
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
2 Corinthians 8:21
Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

not.
32; 8:9-13; Ro 14:15-21
why.
Ro 14:16; 2Co 8:21; 1Th 5:22

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

Context

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?
1 Corinthians 10:30
For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

Read all of 1 Corinthians 10

1 Corinthians 10:29 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	La conciencia, digo, no tuya, sino del otro. Pues ¿por qué ha de ser juzgada mi libertad por otra conciencia?
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Or je dis: la conscience, non la tienne, mais celle de l’autre; car pourquoi ma liberté est-elle jugée par la conscience d’autrui?
German Elberfelder 1871	des Gewissens aber, sage ich, nicht deines eigenen, sondern desjenigen des anderen; denn warum wird meine Freiheit von einem anderen Gewissen beurteilt?
Latin Clementine Vulgate	conscientiam autem dico non tuam, sed alterius. Ut quid enim libertas mea judicatur ab aliena conscientia?