1 Corinthians 10:25

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

Whatsoever {G3956} is sold {G4453} in {G1722} the shambles {G3111}, that eat {G2068}, asking {G350} no {G3367} question {G350} for {G1223} conscience {G4893} sake {G1223}:

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,

Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,

Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat, asking no question for conscience’ sake;

Context

First Corinthians 10:25 is part of a larger discussion (starting in 1 Corinthians chapter 8) where the Apostle Paul addresses issues of Christian liberty, particularly concerning eating meat that may have been offered to idols. The Corinthian church, situated in a pagan city, frequently encountered such meat sold in public markets, known as "shambles" (meat markets or butcher shops). Some believers, especially those with a weaker conscience, might struggle with eating such meat, fearing participation in idolatry. Paul's teaching emphasizes that while idols are nothing, a believer's actions should always consider the impact on others and the glory of God.

Key Themes

  • Christian Liberty and Conscience: The verse highlights the freedom believers have in Christ. For those with a strong conscience, knowing that an idol is nothing (as stated in 1 Corinthians 8:4), eating such meat is permissible. The instruction to "ask no question for conscience sake" means one should not inquire about the meat's origin if it might raise doubts in their own mind or cause a weaker brother to stumble.
  • Avoiding Stumbling Blocks: While believers are free, this freedom is not absolute. Paul consistently teaches that one's actions should not become a stumbling block to others, especially those with a more sensitive or developing faith. The focus shifts from personal rights to the spiritual well-being of the community.
  • Focus on God's Glory: Ultimately, all actions, including eating, should be done to glorify God, as Paul explicitly states just a few verses later. This overarching principle guides the exercise of Christian liberty.

Linguistic Insights

The term "shambles" (KJV) refers to a meat stall or market where animals were slaughtered and sold. It was a common place for meat, some of which might have originated from pagan sacrifices, to be sold to the general public. The Greek word for "conscience" is syneidesis, which denotes the moral faculty that judges one's actions. Paul's point is that if you purchase meat from the market, do so without suspicion or inquiry that might trouble your own conscience or reveal a potential issue to someone else's.

Practical Application

This verse offers valuable guidance for modern believers concerning areas of Christian freedom and ethical consumerism. It teaches that:

  • Don't Seek Out Trouble: If you are unsure about the origin of something, and it doesn't directly violate a clear biblical command, there's no need to meticulously investigate its background if doing so would create unnecessary scruples for yourself or others.
  • Prioritize Peace and Unity: The principle here is about maintaining peace and unity within the body of Christ and acting in love. It's about not allowing matters of personal liberty to become a source of division or a cause for a brother or sister to fall. This echoes the sentiment found in Romans 14:13, which advises against placing a stumbling block in a brother's way.
  • Act with a Clear Conscience: The instruction implies that one should eat with a clear conscience, knowing that what they eat does not defile them (as Jesus taught in Mark 7:19), unless their own conscience or the conscience of a weaker brother is genuinely troubled by it.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 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.

  • 1 Timothy 4:4

    For every creature of God [is] good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

  • Titus 1:15

    Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

  • Romans 14:14

    I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that [there is] nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him [it is] unclean.

  • Acts 10:15

    And the voice [spake] unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, [that] call not thou common.

  • Romans 13:5

    Wherefore [ye] must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

  • 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.
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