1 Corinthians 10:29 Meaning and Explanation
“Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Paul clarifies that the conscience in view is the other person's, not one's own, and asks why his liberty should be bound by another's scruple.
What Does 1 Corinthians 10:29 Mean?
Paul clarifies whose conscience he means: 'not thine own, but of the other.' The believer abstains for the sake of the other person's conscience, not because his own is troubled. He then asks why his own liberty should be condemned by someone else's scruple -- a question that affirms his real freedom even as he yields it.
The point is subtle but important. Paul does not teach that the stronger believer's conscience is bound by the weaker; his freedom remains genuine before God. Yet love willingly limits its exercise for another's sake. The believer holds two truths together: liberty is real, and love is greater. To set aside a right out of love is not to deny that the right exists, but to value a brother above a privilege, as Christ Himself did for us.
1 Corinthians 10:29 in the Original Language
suneidesis (συνείδησις), 'conscience' -- the inner sense that judges one's own actions as right or wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Corinthians 10:29
What does 1 Corinthians 10:29 mean?
Paul clarifies that the conscience in view is the other person's, not one's own, and asks why his liberty should be bound by another's scruple.