1 Corinthians 10:23
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Addressing questions about food offered to idols, Paul grants a measure of freedom while insisting that love for others, not personal rights, must govern the believer's choices.
What Does 1 Corinthians 10:23 Mean?
Paul takes a slogan apparently used in Corinth -- "all things are lawful" -- and qualifies it twice. Even granting that many things are permissible, that does not make them all beneficial or constructive. Freedom is real, but freedom alone is not the highest question. The believer must also ask whether a given action is helpful and whether it builds others up.
Paul introduces two filters beyond mere permission. "Expedient" means profitable or beneficial -- does this action actually do good? "Edify" means to build up -- does this strengthen others rather than harm them? The Corinthians were quick to assert their rights; Paul redirects them toward love and the good of the community. A choice may be technically allowed yet wound a weaker believer or serve no good purpose. Maturity weighs not only "may I?" but "should I?" and "will this help?" The verse dismantles a self-centered view of liberty. Christian freedom is not license to do whatever one can get away with; it is freedom employed in love. The mature believer voluntarily limits personal rights for the sake of others' growth, recognizing that what edifies the body matters more than what merely satisfies the self.
In the Original Language
The Greek "exestin" (lawful) means permitted. "Sympherei" (expedient) means profitable or beneficial. "Oikodomei" (edify) literally means to build a house, hence to build up.
Cross References
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient.”
- 1 Corinthians 6:12
“Use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
- Galatians 5:13
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.”
- Romans 14:19
Application
Before exercising a freedom, ask not only whether it is permitted but whether it is helpful and whether it builds others up, letting love guide your choices.