All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Parallel translations
- WEB “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up.
- BSB “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.
- NKJV All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
- NASB All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted, but not all things build people up.
- NLT You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Even lawful things are not always beneficial or edifying. Christian freedom must be guided by what builds others up, not mere permissibility.
Overview
Paul repeats a Corinthian slogan ('All things are lawful') and twice qualifies it: liberty must serve what is profitable and constructive. Freedom is not the highest value; love and edification are. This principle reorients the church from self-assertion toward the good of the community, reflecting the self-giving pattern of Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Cor 6:12All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
- 1 Cor 8:9But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
- Eph 4:29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
- Rom 14:19–20Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
- 1 Th 5:11Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
- Rom 15:1–2We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
- Rom 14:15But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
- 1 Cor 14:17For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
- 1 Cor 14:26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
- 1 Cor 14:12Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
- 1 Tim 1:4Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
- 1 Cor 14:3–5But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
- 1 Cor 8:1Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
- 2 Cor 12:19Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Christ crucified is the wisdom and power of God; he is our Passover sacrificed for us, the firstfruits of resurrection, the foundation on which everything is built.
How 1 Corinthians 10:23 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.