1 COR 8:11 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT So the one being weak, the brother for whom Christ died, is destroyed through your knowledge.

UST As a result, by acting based on what you know is true about other gods, you harm others who incompletely understand what is right and wrong. These are fellow believers, and the Messiah died for them.

BSB [So] [this] weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.

MSB {Should} [this] weak brother, for whom Christ died, be destroyed by your knowledge?

BLB For the one being weak is destroyed through your knowledge--the brother for whom Christ died.

AICNT For the one who is weak is destroyed by your knowledge, the brother for whom Christ died.

OEB And so, through this knowledge of yours, the weak person is ruined – someone for whose sake Christ died!

WEBBE And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

WMBB And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Messiah died.

NET So by your knowledge the weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed.

LSV For the [one] being weak—the brother for whom Christ died—will perish by your knowledge.

FBV By your “better knowledge” the weaker believer is destroyed, a believer for whom Christ died.

TCNT [fn]Should [fn]the weak brother, for whose sake Christ died, perish because of yoʋr knowledge?

8:11 Should 90.5% • MSS 5.2% ¦ For he CT 0.8%

8:11 the weak brother, for whose sake Christ died, perish because of yoʋr knowledge? 90% ¦ who is weak perishes by yoʋr knowledge, the brother for whose sake Christ died. CT 1.4%

T4T As a result, you who know that idols are not really alive, might cause that fellow believer, one for whom Christ died, ◄to be ruined spiritually/to stop believing in Christ►.

LEB For the one who is weak—the brother for whom Christ died—is destroyed by your knowledge.

BBE And so, through your knowledge, you are the cause of destruction to your brother, for whom Christ underwent death.

Moff He is ruined, this weak man, ruined by your "enlightened mind," this brother for whose sake Christ died!

Wymth Why, your knowledge becomes the ruin of the weak believer—your brother, for whom Christ died!

ASV For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.

DRA And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ hath died?

YLT and the brother who is infirm shall perish by thy knowledge, because of whom Christ died?

Drby and the weak [one], the brother for whose sake Christ died, will perish through thy knowledge.

RV For through thy knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died.
(For through thy/your knowledge he that is weak perisheth, the brother for whose sake Christ died. )

SLT And shall the weak brother be destroyed upon thy knowledge, for whom Christ died?

Wbstr And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

KJB-1769 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
(And through thy/your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? )

KJB-1611 And through thy knowledge shal the weake brother perish, for whome Christ died?
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And through thy knowledge shal the weake brother perishe, for whom Christe dyed?
(And through thy/your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ dyed?)

Gnva And through thy knowledge shall the weake brother perish, for whome Christ died.
(And through thy/your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died. )

Cvdl And so thorow thy knowlege shal the weake brother perishe, for who Christ dyed.
(And so through thy/your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for who Christ died.)

TNT And so thorow thy knowledge shall the weake brother perisshe for whom christ dyed.
(And so through thy/your knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom christ died. )

Wycl And the sijk brothir, for whom Crist diede, schal perische in thi kunnyng.
(And the sick brother, for whom Christ died, shall perish in thy/your cunning.)

Luth Und wird also über deiner Erkenntnis der schwache Bruder umkommen, um welches willen doch Christus gestorben ist.
(And becomes also above your(s) knowledge the/of_the weake brother perish/die, around/by/for which will though/but Christ died is.)

ClVg Et peribit infirmus in tua scientia, frater, propter quem Christus mortuus est?
(And will_perish weak/sick in/into/on your knowledge/skill, brother, because which Christ/Messiah dead it_is? )

UGNT ἀπόλλυται γὰρ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει, ὁ ἀδελφὸς, δι’ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν.
(apollutai gar ho asthenōn en taʸ saʸ gnōsei, ho adelfos, di’ hon Ⱪristos apethanen.)

SBL-GNT ⸂ἀπόλλυται γὰρ⸃ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ⸀ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει, ⸂ὁ ἀδελφὸς⸃ διʼ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν.
(⸂apollutai gar⸃ ho asthenōn ⸀en taʸ saʸ gnōsei, ⸂ho adelfos⸃ diʼ hon Ⱪristos apethanen.)

RP-GNT Καὶ ἀπολεῖται ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ γνώσει, δι' ὃν χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν;
(Kai apoleitai ho asthenōn adelfos epi taʸ saʸ gnōsei, di' hon ⱪristos apethanen;)

TC-GNT [fn]Καὶ ἀπολεῖται ὁ ἀσθενῶν [fn]ἀδελφὸς ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ γνώσει, δι᾽ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν;
(Kai apoleitai ho asthenōn adelfos epi taʸ saʸ gnōsei, di hon Ⱪristos apethanen; )

8:11 και απολειται 90.5% ¦ και απολλυται MSS 5.2% ¦ απολλυται γαρ CT 0.8%

8:11 αδελφος επι τη ση γνωσει 90% ¦ εν τη ση γνωσει ο αδελφος CT 1.4%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 8:1–13: Paul answered questions about eating meat that had been offered to idols

In this section Paul wrote about something else the Corinthians had asked him in their earlier letter. They had asked him whether it was acceptable for them to eat the meat of an animal that had been sacrificed to an idol. The primary context for eating such meat was at an idol’s temple. Sometimes an animal would be offered to a false god in connection with a celebration such as a birthday or wedding to seek the god’s blessing and presence at the celebration. The animal would be butchered by a priest and a portion of the meat would be burned on an altar as an offering to the false god. Some of the remaining meat would be returned to the person who offered it and could be eaten together with family or other invited guests at a private banquet room at the temple. (Some of the remaining meat might be sent to the meat market to be sold, a situation that Paul addresses in 10:25–26.)

There were two opinions in the Corinthian church about whether this meat could be eaten by a believer in Christ. Some of the Corinthian believers, including those who wrote the letter, understood that idols were only things that people have made or imagined. They were hoping Paul would agree with them that it was acceptable to eat this meat. However, some other believers thought that it was wrong to enter a temple and eat such meat. They still believed the false gods were real and believed that eating meat offered to them in sacrifice was an act of worship or fellowship with these gods.

Paul agreed in this chapter that the idols worshiped at these temples were not real gods. But he did not give permission to eat this meat at their temple. Doing so might influence other believers to also eat the meat, even though they believed it was wrong. Paul asked the Corinthians believers to act in love toward these brothers rather than selfishly demanding the right to eat this meat.

In chapter 10, Paul will continue to answer the question about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He says that a believer can have no part in the worship of idols and also that demons are active in the sacrifices to idols. He also addresses the separate situations of buying and eating meat sold in the meat market and what to do when someone invites you to eat meat in their home. Before this, in chapter 9, he uses himself as an illustration of the principle he set down at the end of chapter 8 of giving up your rights in love. He had the right to be paid for his work as an apostle, but he gave up his right so that the good news of Jesus would be better accepted.

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other possible headings for this section are:

Paul gave instructions about eating meat of/from animals that had been sacrificed to false gods

Believers should not eat anything that causes other believers to sin

Paragraph 8:7–13

In this paragraph Paul discussed a problem related to the knowledge that an idol is nothing. The problem is that not all believers have this knowledge. When those without this knowledge eat food sacrificed to idols, they think they are participating in rites to real gods. They know this is wrong, but being weak they are easily influenced to do it anyway. So believers who know that idols are nothing should not think only about what they have freedom to do, but rather should think about how what they do may influence other believers toward idolatry. They should not do anything that would cause another believer to do something he thinks is wrong.

8:11

So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.

So by knowing so much you^(sing) will ruin a weak believer, a person for whom Christ died.
In that way, you will harm/damage a believer who is weak because of what you know. And Christ died for this person.

So: The Greek word that the BSB translates as So here introduces the result that Paul thinks will happen if a weak believer feels encouraged to do something his conscience tells him is wrong for him to do. Some other ways to translate this are:

In that case (GW)

and then (NJB)

As a result

this weak brother…is destroyed by your knowledge: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as is destroyedThe Greek word that the BSB translates as “destroyed” occurs numerous times in the New Testament. It is often translated as lose, kill, destroy or ruin. When it is used to refer to people, it usually refers to a non-Christians being lost or destroyed. In this verse, the verb refers to a Christian brother. The two most common English translations for this word are “destroy” and “ruin.” In order to help decide how to translate this word in this verse, it is useful to consider the entire chapter. The best information is found in 1 Corinthians 8:12 since it is a restatement of some of the information in verse 11. Verse 11 talks about a brother being “destroyed by your knowledge.” Verse 12 talks about “wounding their weak conscience.” Verse 7 says “their conscience is defiled,” verse 9 says, “become a stumbling block to the weak,” and verse 13 says, “causes my brother to stumble.” All of these expressions are weaker than “destroy” so when you translate this verse, it is probably better to use a weaker word like “ruin.” means to be ruined. In this context, it probably indicates that the believer’s conscience, and as a result his spiritual life, will be harmed. This believer becomes weaker in his ability do what is right as a Christian. By eating food that was sacrificed to idols, he has begun to go back to the worship of idols.

Some ways to translate this are:

This weak believer for whom Christ died is ruined because of your “knowledge.” (NCV)

by your knowledge, you cause spiritual disaster to a weaker brother

your example/practice, based on what you know [about idols], harms/damages the faith of your weaker brother

is destroyed: The verb is destroyed is passive. In some languages, it may be more natural to translate this clause without using a passive verb. For example:

And so this weak person, this brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your knowledge. (GNT)

This ‘knowledge’ of yours destroys the weak, the fellow-Christian for whom Christ died. (REB)

by your knowledge: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as by your knowledge here means “through your knowledge” or “because of your knowledge.” Directly or indirectly, the knowledge of the strong believer destroys the weak believer. Other ways to translate this include:

because of your superior knowledge (NLT)

through your knowledge (NJB)

what you know has destroyed someone (CEV)

General Comment on 8:11

You may wish to reorder the phrases in this verse. For example:

So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. (NLT)

This ‘knowledge’ of yours destroys the weak, the fellow Christian for whom Christ died. (REB)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἀπόλλυται & ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει, ὁ ἀδελφὸς, δι’ ὃν Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν

˓is_being˒_destroyed & the_‹one› faltering in the your knowledge the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπόλλυται γάρ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει ὁ ἀδελφός διʼ ὅν Χριστός ἀπέθανεν)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you can express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Paul uses the passive form here to focus on the person who is destroyed rather than focusing on what or who does the “destroying.” If you must state who does the action, Paul implies that “you” or “your knowledge” does it. Alternate translation: [you, through your knowledge, destroy the one who is weak, the brother for whom Christ died,] or [your knowledge destroys the one who is weak, the brother for whom Christ died]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

ὁ ἀσθενῶν & ὁ ἀδελφὸς

the_‹one› faltering & the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπόλλυται γάρ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει ὁ ἀδελφός διʼ ὅν Χριστός ἀπέθανεν)

Jesus is speaking of those who are weak and brothers in general, not of one particular person who is a brother and the one being weak. If your language does not use the singular form to refer to people in general, you can express the idea in a form that is more natural in your language. Alternate translation: [each one who is weak, who is a brother]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ ἀσθενῶν

the_‹one› faltering

Much like in [8:9](../08/09.md), the one being weak identifies a person who easily feels guilty. A weak person thinks some things are wrong that are probably acceptable before God. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express being weak with a comparable metaphor or express the idea plainly. Alternate translation: [the one who is sensitive] or [the one who often condemns himself or herself]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

ὁ ἀδελφὸς

the_‹one› the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπόλλυται γάρ ὁ ἀσθενῶν ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει ὁ ἀδελφός διʼ ὅν Χριστός ἀπέθανεν)

Although brother is masculine, Paul is using this word to refer to any believer, whether man or woman. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express brother with a non gendered word or refer to both genders. Alternate translation: [the brother or sister]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

σῇ

your

Here Paul addresses specific individuals within the Corinthian church. Because of this, your in this verse is singular.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

γνώσει

knowledge

Here Paul does not specify what the knowledge is about. However, just as in [8:10](../08/10.md), it is clear that Paul is speaking of knowledge about other gods, specifically knowing that there is only one God and that other gods do not really exist. If you must specify what the knowledge is about, you could clarify that it is about the idols or the topic of things sacrificed to idols. Alternate translation: [knowledge about idols] or [knowledge about this issue]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐν τῇ σῇ γνώσει

in the your knowledge

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind knowledge, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “know.” Alternate translation: [through what you know]

Parallel 1 COR 8:11

Section 8:1–13: Paul answered questions about eating meat that had been offered to idols

Paragraph 8:7–13

8:11

General Comment on 8:11

Parallel 1 COR 8:11