1Now concerning things sacrificed to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2But if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he doesn’t yet know as he ought to know. 3But anyone who loves God is known by him.
4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one. 5For though there are things that are called “gods”, whether in the heavens or on earth—as there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6yet to us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we live through him.
7However, that knowledge isn’t in all men. But some, with consciousness of an idol until now, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God. For neither, if we don’t eat are we the worse, nor if we eat are we the better. 9But be careful that by no means does this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if a man sees you who have knowledge sitting in an idol’s temple, won’t his conscience, if he is weak, be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11And through your knowledge, he who is weak perishes, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12Thus, sinning against the brothers, and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will eat no meat forever more, that I don’t cause my brother to stumble.
Offend (Gk. σκανδαλίζω, skandalizó). Strong's 4624
In the NT, this word can have one of two meanings: to “cause to stumble or sin” (Matt 5:29; Luke 17:2; John 16:1; Rom. 14:21), or to “give offense, anger or shock” (Matt 11:6; 13:57; 17:27; Luke 7:23). We get our English word “scandalize” from this word. Jesus never caused anyone to sin, but He did cause offense. In a variety of ways, Jesus caused people to confront the truth, especially the truth about their own inadequacies and sin. Rightly, sinners should be offended by their own state of being, not by Jesus, who is simply the messenger. It is a gift of God and a blessing indeed to be able to receive the truth of Jesus, instead of rejecting it because it is offensive. Humbly receiving Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, is critical to a person’s salvation and relationship with God. This word is used 30 times in the NT, twice in Luke, twice in John, four times in three verses in Paul, and the rest in Matthew and Mark.