Letters to the Churches

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.

Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.

Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?

Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?

No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.

No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.

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

for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.

But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—

the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?

If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—

as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.

You are to imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

Now I commend you for remembering me in everything and for maintaining the traditions, just as I passed them on to you.

But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head.

And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for it is just as if her head were shaved.