OrthJBC - I Corinthians - 8

8:1  Now concerning the sacrifice to an elil (idol in avodah zarah, idol worship), we have da'as that "we all possess da'as (knowledge)." But da'as puffs up (with ga'avah), but ahavah (agape--12:31-14:1) builds up.

8:2  If anyone presumes he has da'as of anything, he does not yet have da'as the necessary da'as.

8:3  But if a person has Ahavas Hashem, Hashem has da'as of that person. [Yirmeyah 1:5]

8:4  Now concerning the eating of the okhel at the mitzbeach of avodah zarah sacrificed to an elil (idol), we have da'as that an elil is nothing in Olam Hazeh, and that there is no Hashem but ECHAD (DEVARIM 4:35, 39; 6:4). [Devarim 6:4; Tehillim 86:10]

8:5  For even if there are so-called "g-ds" [believed wrongly to be] either in Shomayim or on ha'Aretz, even as there are [in popular tradition] so-called "g-ds" many and "l-rds" many,

8:6  yet we have da'as that there is ADONOI ECHAD (DEVARIM 6:4), Hashem AV ECHAD L'CHULLANU ("One Father of us all--MALACHI 2:10), from whom are all things, and we exist for Hashem, and there is Adon Echad Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, through whom are all things and we through Him. [Malachi 2:10]

8:7  However, not kol Bnei Adam have this da'as (knowledge); some are so accustomed to the elil (idol) until now that when they eat, they think of the ma'achal (food) as being sacrificed to the elil in avodah zarah, and their matzpun (conscience) being weak, is made to be tameh (defiled, unclean).

8:8  But ma'achal (food) will not usher us into the presence of Hashem; neither are we falling short if we do not eat ma'achal, nor are we better if we eat.

8:9  But beware lest somehow your cherut (freedom) becomes a michshol (stumbling block) to the weak ones.

8:10  For if anyone sees you, the one having da'as (knowledge), eating in the temple of an elil, will not the matzpun of him be strengthened so as to eat the okhel at the mitzbeach of avodah zarah sacrificed to an elil (idol)?

8:11  For the one being weak [in emunah] is being destroyed by your "da'as," the Ach b'Moshiach for the sake of whom Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach died.

8:12  And thus by sinning against the Achim b'Moshiach and wounding their weak matzpunim (consciences), you commit averos against Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

8:13  Therefore, if ma'achal causes my Ach b'Moshiach to trip on a michshol, I should never eat meat again, lest I cause my Ach b'Moshiach to stumble.