All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
All things are lawful for me ... Recurring to the Corinthian plea (1 Corinthians 6:12), he repeats his qualification of it. A B C 'Aleph (') G f g, Vulgate, omit "for me." 'Aleph (') C have it.
Edify not - build not up the spiritual temple, the Church, in faith and love. Paul does not appeal to the apostolic decision, Acts 15:1-41, but to the broad principle of true Christian freedom, which does not think that, because we can use external things, we must use them (1 Corinthians 6:12). Their use or non-use should be regulated by regard to general edification.