Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
Parallel translations
- WEB Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
- KJV Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
- NKJV Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God,
- NASB Do not offend Jews or Greeks, or the church of God;
- NLT Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
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
Believers should avoid putting stumbling blocks before Jews, Greeks, or the church. Consideration for others' faith shapes Christian conduct.
Overview
Paul calls for behavior that does not needlessly hinder anyone, whether unbelieving Jews, Gentiles, or fellow believers, from coming to or growing in faith. Love seeks the spiritual welfare of all groups. This concern for not causing offense in the gospel sense reflects a missionary heart that subordinates personal freedom to the salvation of others.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Acts 20:28Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.
- 1 Cor 10:33as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
- Rom 14:13Therefore let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
- 2 Cor 6:3We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no one can discredit our ministry.
- 1 Cor 8:13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to stumble.
- Acts 24:16In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.
- 1 Cor 11:22Don’t you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not!
- 1 Tim 3:15in case I am delayed, so that you will know how each one must conduct himself in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
- 1 Tim 3:5For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for the church of God?
- Phil 1:10so that you may be able to test and prove what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 10:32 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.