What Does 1 Corinthians 10:23 Mean in the King James?
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
Permission does not guarantee contribution: what is allowed can still fail to carry shared life forward or build it up.
THE MEANING
This verse holds freedom beside its effect: an option can be permitted and still fail to contribute to shared life. What reaches another person may leave them no stronger, even when no rule forbids it. Freedom here has room for both choice and consequence.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that permission by itself makes an action beneficial. Being allowed does not mean it contributes or builds.
THE ROOT
συμφέρει
sympherei
GROWS FROM
σύν + φέρω (syn + pherō)
σύν (syn, together) + φέρω (pherō, carry): to carry or bring together. συμφέρει (sympherei) means that something contributes, benefits, or is advantageous.
The word behind “expedient” carries the sense of bringing something together or contributing to a good. The verse asks what an action adds to shared life, beyond whether it is permitted.
ALSO GROWS
symphérō: To bring together, contribute, or benefit.
συμφέρω
This verb reveals the contributing sense underneath “expedient”: freedom can carry something forward for others.
symphéron: What is beneficial or advantageous.
συμφέρον
It names the benefit an action contributes, making its effect part of the verse’s measure of freedom.
οἰκοδομεῖ
oikodomei
GROWS FROM
οἰκοδομ- (oikodom-), from οἶκος (oikos) + δομέω (domeō)
οἶκος (oikos, house) + δομέω (domeō, build): to build a house. οἰκοδομεῖ (oikodomei) means “builds up.”
The verb behind “edify” pictures house-building: something can be permitted yet leave no structure standing for anyone. The verse makes the effect concrete, what passes through freedom may or may not add strength to shared life.
ALSO GROWS
oikodomē: A building, or the act of building up.
οἰκοδομή
This noun carries the same house-building image, showing that “edify” names constructive work rather than mere approval.
oikodomos: A builder.
οἰκοδόμος
The builder belongs to the same word family, making visible the people and shared life that the verse’s building image concerns.
THE PATTERN
Permission does not establish an action’s value; its contribution to shared life is also visible in whether it builds.
Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.THE THREAD
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.“Edifieth” here is οἰκοδομεῖ (oikodomei, builds up), the same Greek verb as in 1 Corinthians 10:23. Its contrast, knowledge can inflate, while love builds, shows that the verse’s building image concerns what an action leaves standing in shared life.
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