The Question about Food Offered to Idols
1 Now, concerning what you wrote about food offered to idols.
It is true, of course, that “all of us have knowledge,” as they say. Such knowledge, however, puffs a person up with pride; but love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something really don't know as they ought to know. 3 But the person who loves God is known by him.
4 So then, about eating the food offered to idols: we know that an idol stands for something that does not really exist; we know that there is only the one God. 5 Even if there are so-called “gods,” whether in heaven or on earth, and even though there are many of these “gods” and “lords,” 6 yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live; and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.
7 But not everyone knows this truth. Some people have been so used to idols that to this day when they eat such food they still think of it as food that belongs to an idol; their conscience is weak, and they feel they are defiled by the food. 8 Food, however, will not improve our relation with God; we shall not lose anything if we do not eat, nor shall we gain anything if we do eat.
9 Be careful, however, not to let your freedom of action make those who are weak in the faith fall into sin. 10 Suppose a person whose conscience is weak in this matter sees you, who have so-called “knowledge,” eating in the temple of an idol; will not this encourage him to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so this weak person, your brother for whom Christ died, will perish because of your “knowledge”! 12 And in this way you will be sinning against Christ by sinning against other Christians and wounding their weak conscience. 13 So then, if food makes a believer sin, I will never eat meat again, so as not to make a believer fall into sin.
Ovikurya mbya punguhirwa Ovisenginina
1 Nambano otja konyama ndja punguhirwa oomukuru vovisenginina pe ri nai.
Matu tjiwa kutja eṱe atuhe tu nondjiviro. Ondjiviro i tjita kutja omundu e rihive, nungwari indwi orusuvero ru tunga ombongo. 2 Tji pena ngu ma tjangovasi eye u notjiṋa tji ma tjiwa, tjiri, eye ke nondjiviro omundu ndje sokukara na yo. 3 Nungwari omundu ngwa suvera Ndjambi eye u tjiukwa i Ndjambi.
4 Nu nambano otja kokurya onyama ndja punguhirwa oomukuru vovisenginina pe ri nai: Matu tjiwa kutja mukuru wotjisenginina eye katjiṋa kombanda yehi, nokutja kape na Ndjambi warwe posi na ingwi umwe. 5 Nandi pa kara imba mbu ku za “oomukuru”, kutja omeyuru poo okombanda yehi, nu nandarire kutja pena “oomukuru” ovengi “novahona” ovengi, 6 eṱe tu na Ndjambi umwe uriri: Tate mu mwa za oviṋa avihe, nu ngu twa utirwa; nu tu na Muhona umwe uriri, Jesus Kristus, mu mwa utwa oviṋa avihe, neṱe mu tu nomuinyo.
7 Nungwari ondjiviro ndji kai ri movandu avehe. Ovandu tjiva va iririra oomukuru vovisenginina tjinene, kutja nga ku ndinondi tji mave ri onyama, owo ve tjangovasi oyo ya punguhirwa omukuru wotjisenginina. Komuhingo mbwi omeritjiviro wawo womomutima nga vazewa aya ngundipara, otji maye kurungisirwa ko. 8 Novikurya kavi nakututjita kutja tu kare nomahakaeneno ngu ma engara ohee kuna Ndjambi; tji tu hi nakurya, katu notjiṋa tji matu pandjara; nu tji twa ri, katu notjiṋa tji matu toṋa.
9 Nungwari ṱakamiseye kutja omasa wongamburiro yeṋu aye ha rire ombutarisiro ku imba mbe ri ovingundi mongamburiro. 10 Nove ngu u nondjiviro ndji tji wa karira mondjuwo onḓere yoomukuru vovisenginina, nu omundu ngu nomeritjiviro womomutima omangundi e ku munu, indu otjiṋa hi katji nakumupa omasa kutja a rye onyama ndja punguhirwa oomukuru vovisenginina are? 11 Omundu otjingundi ngwi otji ma pandjara motjimbe tjondjiviro yoye ndji; neye hapo omukambure omukweṋu Kristus ngwa ṱira. 12 Nu tji mwa tjiti ouvi kovakambure ovakweṋu ovingundi momitima mokuvezeuparisa kutja ve tjite imbi mbi ve kambura kutja onavi okutjita, eṋe momuano mbwi mamu tjiti ourunde komurungu wa Kristus. 13 Novikurya, mbi me ri, tji mavi putarisa omukwetu, ami himee ri ko onyama rukwao, tjinga ambi hi nokuvanga okurira ombutarisiro komukwetu.
