The Meaning of 1 Corinthians 8:9 Explained

1 Corinthians 8:9

KJV: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

YLT: but see, lest this privilege of yours may become a stumbling-block to the infirm,

Darby: But see lest anywise this your right to eat itself be a stumbling-block to the weak.

ASV: But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to the weak.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But  take heed  lest  by any means  this  liberty  of yours  become  a stumblingblock  to them that are weak. 

What does 1 Corinthians 8:9 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The knowledge that some food is all right in itself is not the only factor that should determine whether we eat it or not. Love for a brother that our participation bothers is also important. The weak brother is weak because his emotions have not caught up to his intellect. In this context, a stumbling block is any barrier to another individual"s personal relationship with God. The Corinthian Christians who had returned to the pagan temples for their feasts were disregarding how their participation was affecting their brethren who still viewed participation as worship, or at least approval, of the idol.

Context Summary

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 - Consideration For Others' Weakness
It was the heathen custom of the time to present for blessing in the idol temples the food that was sold and bought in public marketplaces. A grave question arose, therefore, as to whether the Christian convert might partake of such food without blame. Paul took a broad and common-sense view of the situation. He declared there is only one God and that an idol is an absolute nonentity. Therefore it was a matter of perfect indifference what the heathen butchers might have done before they exposed their meat for sale. At the same time if some weaker brother were really thrown back in his Christian life by seeing his fellow-believer eating in a heathen temple, that in itself would at once be a sufficient reason why the stronger should abstain for the weaker brother's sake. There are many things which, so far as we personally are concerned, we might feel free to do or permit, but which we must avoid if they threaten to hinder the practice or divert the course of some fellow-Christian. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Corinthians 8

1  To abstain from food offered to idols
8  We must not abuse our Christian liberty, to the offense of our brothers;
11  but must bridle our knowledge with charity

Greek Commentary for 1 Corinthians 8:9

Take heed [βλεπετε]
A warning to the enlightened. [source]
Lest by any means [μη πως]
Common construction after verbs of caution or fearing, μη πως — mē pōs with aorist subjunctive γενηται — genētai This liberty of yours (η εχουσια υμων αυτη — hē exousia humōn hautē). Εχουσια — Exousia from εχεστιν — exestin means a grant, allowance, authority, power, privilege, right, liberty. It shades off easily. It becomes a battle cry, personal liberty does, to those who wish to indulge their own whims and appetites regardless of the effect upon others. A stumbling-block to the weak Late word from προσκοπτω — proskoptō to cut against, to stumble against. So an obstacle for the foot to strike. In Romans 14:13 Paul uses σκανδαλον — skandalon as parallel with προσκομμα — proskomma We do not live alone. This principle applies to all social relations in matters of law, of health, of morals. Noblesse oblige. The enlightened must consider the welfare of the unenlightened, else he does not have love. [source]
This liberty of yours [η εχουσια υμων αυτη]
Εχουσια — Exousia from εχεστιν — exestin means a grant, allowance, authority, power, privilege, right, liberty. It shades off easily. It becomes a battle cry, personal liberty does, to those who wish to indulge their own whims and appetites regardless of the effect upon others. [source]
A stumbling-block to the weak [προσκομμα τοις αστενεσιν]
Late word from προσκοπτω — proskoptō to cut against, to stumble against. So an obstacle for the foot to strike. In Romans 14:13 Paul uses σκανδαλον — skandalon as parallel with προσκομμα — proskomma We do not live alone. This principle applies to all social relations in matters of law, of health, of morals. Noblesse oblige. The enlightened must consider the welfare of the unenlightened, else he does not have love. [source]
Stumbling-block [προσκόμμα]
See on Romans 14:13. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 Corinthians 8:9

Romans 14:15 Be grieved [λυπεῖται]
The close connection with destroy indicates that the meaning falls short of be destroyed, but is stronger than made to feel pain. It is a hurt to conscience, which, while not necessarily fatal, may lead to violation or hardening of conscience, and finally to fall. Compare 1 Corinthians 8:9-12. [source]
1 Corinthians 8:13 Maketh my brother to stumble [σκανδαλιζει τον αδελπον μου]
Late verb (lxx and N.T.) to set a trap-stick (Matthew 5:29) or stumbling-block like προσκομμα — proskomma in 1 Corinthians 8:9 (cf. Romans 14:13, Romans 14:21). Small boys sometimes set snares for other boys, not merely for animals to see them caught. I will eat no flesh for evermore (ου μη παγω κρεα εις τον αιωνα — ou mē phagō krea eis ton aiōna). The strong double negative ου μη — ou mē with the second aorist subjunctive. Here Paul has flesh (κρεα — krea) with direct reference to the flesh offered to idols. Old word, but in N.T. only here and Romans 14:21. This is Paul‘s principle of love (1 Corinthians 8:2) applied to the matter of eating meats offered to idols. Paul had rather be a vegetarian than to lead his weak brother to do what he considered sin. There are many questions of casuistry today that can only be handled wisely by Paul‘s ideal of love. [source]
1 Timothy 3:2 The husband of one wife [μιᾶς γυναικὸς ἄνδρα]
Comp. 1 Timothy 3:12; Titus 1:6. Is the injunction aimed (a) at immoralities respecting marriage - concubinage, etc., or (b) at polygamy, or (c) at remarriage after death or divorce? The last is probably meant. Much of the difficulty arises from the assumption that the Pastorals were written by Paul. In that case his views seem to conflict. See Romans 7:2, Romans 7:3; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 8:8, 1 Corinthians 8:9, where Paul declares that widows are free to marry again, and puts widows and virgins on the same level; and comp. 1 Timothy 5:9, according to which a widow is to be enrolled only on the condition of having been the wife of but one man. The Pauline view is modified in detail by the writer of the Pastorals. Paul, while asserting that marriage is right and honorable, regards celibacy as the higher state (1 Corinthians 7:1, 1 Corinthians 7:7, 1 Corinthians 7:26, 1 Corinthians 7:34, 1 Corinthians 7:37, 1 Corinthians 7:38). In this the Pastoral writer does not follow him (see 1 Timothy 2:15; 1 Timothy 3:4, 1 Timothy 3:12; 1 Timothy 4:3; 1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Timothy 5:14). The motive for marriage, namely, protection against incontinency, which is adduced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:2, 1 Corinthians 7:9, is given in 1 Timothy 5:11-14. As in Paul, the married state is honorable, for Bishops, Deacons, and Presbyters are married (1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:12; Titus 1:6), and the honor of childbearing conferred upon the mother of our Lord is reflected in the Christian woman of later times (1 Timothy 2:15). While Paul advises against second marriages (1 Corinthians 7:8, 1 Corinthians 7:9, 1 Corinthians 7:27, 1 Corinthians 7:39, 1 Corinthians 7:40), in the Pastorals emphasis is laid only on the remarriage of church-officers and church-widows. In the Pastorals we see a reflection of the conditions of the earlier post-apostolic age, when a non-Pauline asceticism was showing itself (see 1 Timothy 4:3, 1 Timothy 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:8; Titus 1:15). The opposition to second marriage became very strong in the latter part of the second century. It was elevated into an article of faith by the Montanists, and was emphasized by Tertullian, and by Athenagoras, who called second marriage “a specious adultery” ( εὐπρεπής μοιχεία )|Vigilant ( νηφάλιον )|Only in the Pastorals. See 1 Timothy 3:11, and Titus 2:2. olxx. The kindred verb νήφειν means to be sober with reference to drink, and, in a metaphorical sense, to be sober and wary; cool and unimpassioned. Thus Epicharmus, νᾶφε καὶ μέμνας ἀπιστεῖν bewary and remember not to be credulous. See on 1 Thessalonians 5:6. In N.T. the meaning of the verb is always metaphorical, to be calm, dispassionate, and circumspect. The A.V. vigilant is too limited. Wise caution may be included; but it is better to render sober, as A.V. in 1 Timothy 3:11and Titus 2:2, in the metaphorical sense as opposed to youthful levity.|Of good behavior ( κόσμιον )|oP. Only here and 1 Timothy 2:9, see note. Rend. orderly.|Given to hospitality ( φιλόξενον )|oP. Comp. Titus 1:8; 1 Peter 4:9. See note on pursuing hospitality, Romans 12:13.|Apt to teach ( διδακτικόν )|oP. Only here and 2 Timothy 2:24. olxx, oClass. In the Pastorals the function of teaching pertains to both Bishops and Elders (see 1 Timothy 5:17; Titus 1:9). It is at this point that the tendency to confound and identify the two reveals itself. Bishops and Presbyters are not identical. Earlier, the teaching function does not seem to have attached to the position of ἐπίσκοπος. The office acquired a different character when it assumed that function, which is not assigned to it in Clement's Epistle to the Corinthians. In the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (about 100 a.d.) the ministry of teaching is to be assumed by the Bishops only in the absence of the Prophets and Teachers (xiii., xv).| [source]

What do the individual words in 1 Corinthians 8:9 mean?

Be careful however lest somehow the right of you this an occasion of stumbling becomes to those being weak
Βλέπετε δὲ μή πως ἐξουσία ὑμῶν αὕτη πρόσκομμα γένηται τοῖς ἀσθενέσιν

Βλέπετε  Be  careful 
Parse: Verb, Present Imperative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: βλέπω  
Sense: to see, discern, of the bodily eye.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
μή  lest 
Parse: Adverb
Root: μή 
Sense: no, not lest.
πως  somehow 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πῶς  
Sense: how, in what way.
ἐξουσία  right 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἐξουσία  
Sense: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases.
ὑμῶν  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
αὕτη  this 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
πρόσκομμα  an  occasion  of  stumbling 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πρόσκομμα  
Sense: a stumbling block.
γένηται  becomes 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τοῖς  to  those 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀσθενέσιν  being  weak 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀσθενής  
Sense: weak, infirm, feeble.