12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
12 Thus, sinning against your brothers
12 When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ. A free meal here and there isn't worth it at the cost of even one of these "weak ones."
12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:12
Commentary on 1 Corinthians 8:7-13
(Read 1 Corinthians 8:7-13)
Eating one kind of food, and abstaining from another, have nothing in them to recommend a person to God. But the apostle cautions against putting a stumbling-block in the way of the weak; lest they be made bold to eat what was offered to the idol, not as common food, but as a sacrifice, and thereby be guilty of idolatry. He who has the Spirit of Christ in him, will love those whom Christ loved so as to die for them. Injuries done to Christians, are done to Christ; but most of all, the entangling them in guilt: wounding their consciences, is wounding him. We should be very tender of doing any thing that may occasion stumbling to others, though it may be innocent in itself. And if we must not endanger other men's souls, how much should we take care not to destroy our own! Let Christians beware of approaching the brink of evil, or the appearance of it, though many do this in public matters, for which perhaps they plead plausibly. Men cannot thus sin against their brethren, without offending Christ, and endangering their own souls.