Imitators

²³ Everything is permitted, but everything isn’t beneficial. Everything is permitted, but everything doesn’t build others up. ²⁴ No one should look out for their own advantage, but they should look out for each other. ²⁵ Eat everything that is sold in the marketplace, without asking questions about it because of your conscience. ²⁶ The earth and all that is in it belong to the Lord. ²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you to eat with them and you want to go, eat whatever is served, without asking questions because of your conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, “This meat was sacrificed in a temple,” then don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. ²⁹ Now when I say “conscience” I don’t mean yours but the other person’s. Why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience? ³⁰ If I participate with gratitude, why should I be blamed for food I thank God for? ³¹ So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you should do it all for God’s glory. ³² Don’t offend either Jews or Greeks, or God’s church. ³³ This is the same thing that I do. I please everyone in everything I do. I don’t look out for my own advantage, but I look out for many people so that they can be saved.

¹ Follow my example, just like I follow Christ’s.