1 Corinthians 10:20
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The verse doesn't just warn against idolatry; it highlights that anything offered to false gods is actually an offering to the spiritual forces behind them. This means even a seemingly harmless act of eating food sacrificed to an idol wasn't just a cultural formality, but a direct engagement with demonic powers. Paul's urgency is to prevent believers from sharing in something that belongs to the enemy, not God.
No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' confusion about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He's building on his previous point that while idols themselves are nothing, the act of sacrificing to them is a real engagement with spiritual forces. Therefore, participating in meals involving such meat means associating with demonic powers, not with the Lord.
Think about your last meal out. Was it just about satisfying hunger? The Corinthians were wrestling with this very question concerning pagan sacrifices.
Paul confronts a dangerous idea circulating in Corinth: that sacrificing to idols was a neutral act, just like any other meal. He clarifies that these sacrifices weren't simply offerings of food to inanimate objects or vague concepts.
The Real Destination
Paul asserts that the spiritual reality behind pagan sacrifice is an offering to 'demons' – malevolent spiritual powers.
The Choice is Clear
When you eat food that has been sacrificed in pagan rituals, Paul argues, you are aligning yourself with these demonic powers, not with the one true God. It's a participation in something deeply spiritual and inherently opposed to God.
Paul uses the word 'participants' – what does this deep spiritual connection really mean for us today?
The core of Paul's warning lies in the concept of 'participation.' This isn't just about being present; it's about fellowship, sharing, and communion.
More Than a Meal
When the Corinthians were invited to eat meat from idol sacrifices, it wasn't just a casual bite. It was an act of solidarity with the pagan worshippers and, in Paul's view, with the spiritual powers they served.
God's Table vs. Their Table
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Paul contrasts this dangerous participation with the true fellowship found at God's table, particularly in the Lord's Supper. To participate with demons is to reject the exclusive claim God has on our devotion and fellowship.
Understand the original words
daimonion · Greek Noun
Spiritual beings who are in rebellion against God and seek to deceive or destroy humanity. The Bible teaches that they are the underlying power behind the worship of false gods.
Understanding the pervasive presence of pagan temples and idol worship in Corinth helps clarify Paul's strong warning against participating in sacrifices offered to demons; he’s drawing a sharp line between loyalty to Christ and the deeply ingrained, spiritually perilous practices of their cultural context.
c. 33 AD
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
The pivotal event of the Christian faith, leading to the spread of the Gospel message and the formation of early churches.
c. 40s-50s AD
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively throughout the Roman Empire, establishing churches in major cities like Corinth.
c. 50-52 AD
Founding of the Corinthian Church
Paul spends significant time in Corinth, teaching and forming the church amidst a culture heavily influenced by pagan worship and idolatry.
c. 55 AD— this verse
Writing of 1 Corinthians
Paul writes this letter from Ephesus to address various issues within the Corinthian church, including divisions, moral failings, and disputes over spiritual gifts and practices, such as eating food offered to idols.
Throughout the Roman Empire
Pagan Idol Worship
Idol temples were central to public life in cities like Corinth, with frequent sacrifices offered to various gods. These practices were deeply ingrained in the social and religious fabric of the time.
This Old Testament passage directly echoes Paul's point, stating that ancient sacrifices were offered to 'demons, not to God,' highlighting the long-standing spiritual reality Paul is addressing.
Leviticus 17:7This law prohibits offerings to 'goat-demons,' reinforcing the idea that sacrifices should only be made to the Lord and not to other spiritual entities that were part of the surrounding cultures.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6Paul had already established that idols are nothing, but that doesn't mean the spiritual powers behind them aren't real; this section clarifies that while there's 'no real god but one,' there are 'many so-called gods,' implying the existence of demonic forces.
Revelation 18:2This prophetic vision describes Babylon as a 'dwelling place of demons' and a 'prison for every impure spirit,' underscoring the deep connection between idolatrous systems and demonic powers that the New Testament consistently warns against.
The verse doesn't just warn against idolatry; it highlights that anything offered to false gods is actually an offering to the spiritual forces behind them. This means even a seemingly harmless act of eating food sacrificed to an idol wasn't just a cultural formality, but a direct engagement with demonic powers. Paul's urgency is to prevent believers from sharing in something that belongs to the enemy, not God.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' confusion about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He's building on his previous point that while idols themselves are nothing, the act of sacrificing to them is a real engagement with spiritual forces. Therefore, participating in meals involving such meat means associating with demonic powers, not with the Lord.
Paul is addressing the Corinthians' confusion about eating meat sacrificed to idols. He's building on his previous point that while idols themselves are nothing, the act of sacrificing to them is a real engagement with spiritual forces. Therefore, participating in meals involving such meat means associating with demonic powers, not with the Lord.
"No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons." — The verse doesn't just warn against idolatry; it highlights that anything offered to false gods is actually an offering to the spiritual forces behind them. This means even a seemingly harmless act…
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Last reviewed October 2026
