Now concerning food offered to idols: In the first century C.E., Greeks and Romans offered animal sacrifices to idols. Parts of the animal were placed on the altar. A portion went to the priests and a portion went to the worshippers for a meal or a feast. However, leftovers of the meat were often sold in the “meat market.” (1Co 10:25) The Corinthian Christians had written to Paul, asking whether it was acceptable to eat such meat. (1Co 7:1a) Inspired by holy spirit, Paul helped them understand that to mature Christians, “an idol is nothing.” (1Co 8:4) Still, he advised Christians against going to an idol temple to eat meat. Eating at the pagan temple could give the wrong impression to spiritually weak observers, who might conclude that the Christian was worshipping the idol. Some of those weaker Christians might be stumbled or even be influenced to the point of eating meat during idolatrous religious ceremonies. (1Co 5:9, 10; 8:9, 10) That would be in direct violation of the governing body’s decree found at Ac 15:28, 29.​—See study notes on 1Co 8:4; 10:25.

concerning the eating of food offered to idols: The Greek expression rendered “food offered to idols” in this verse also occurs at Ac 15:29, where it is rendered “things sacrificed to idols.” However, the Greek term is broad and may include meat of a sacrifice actually used in a religious ceremony and meat that was left over from such a sacrifice. Here, Paul is referring to leftover meat that was sold to the public in a market. (1Co 10:25) In 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 and Romans 14, Paul was not granting Christians permission to share in acts of idolatry or in any feast honoring an idol. Rather, Paul was inspired to make allowance for simply eating, as an ordinary meal, meat that had been sold to the general public. Such meat from an idol temple was not unclean or defiled simply because of its origin.​—See study notes on 1Co 8:1; 10:25.

many “gods”: The Christian Greek Scriptures use the same Greek term for God, the·osʹ (in singular, plural, masculine, and feminine), whether referring to pagan gods and goddesses or to the true God. (Ac 7:40; 14:11; 19:27, 37; Php 3:19) However, Jehovah is the almighty God, “one God, the Father, from whom all things are and we for him.” (1Co 8:6) Jehovah distinguishes himself from false gods by revealing his personal name. He rightfully requires exclusive devotion.​—Ex 20:4, 5.

one God: This expression echoes several statements in the Hebrew Scriptures regarding Jehovah’s uniqueness and his being the only true God. For example, at De 6:4, Moses states: “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah”; at De 32:39, Moses recites Jehovah’s words: “There are no gods apart from me.”​—Isa 43:10, 11; 44:6; 45:6; see study note on Mr 12:29.

conscience: See study note on Ro 2:15.