I Corinthians 8:9
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Be careful, however, that your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
this liberty of yours--the watchword for lax Corinthians. The very indifference of meats, which I concede, is the reason why ye should "take heed" not to tempt weak brethren to act against their conscience (which constitutes sin, Rom 14:22-23).
Open source ↗The apostle, in this chapter, answers another case proposed to him by some of the Corinthians, about eating those things that had been sacrificed to idols. I. He hints at the occasion of this case, and gives a caution against too high an esteem of their knowledge (Co1 8:1-3). II. He asserts the vanity of idols, the unity of the Godhead, and the sole mediation of Christ between God and man (Co1 8:4-6). III. He tells them that upon supposition that it were lawful in itself to eat of things offered to idols (for that they themselves are nothing), yet regard must be had to the weakness of Christian brethren, and nothing done that would lay a stumbling block before them, and occasion their sin and destruction (Co1 8:7 to the end).
Open source ↗8:9-10 Believers must be careful that what they do (such as eating sacrificial meat) does not cause others . . . to stumble (cp. Rom 14:13, 20-21; Gal 5:13).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
By sinning against your brothers in this way and wounding their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you who are well informed eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged to eat food sacrificed to idols?
To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.
Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.