But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Commendeth. So G f g, Vulgate. But 'Aleph (') A B [parasteese], 'shall, present,' as before a prince. C Delta have 'presents.' A B read 'Neither if we do not eat, are we the better: neither if we eat, are we the worse:' the eaters thus justifying their eating. 'Aleph (') Delta G f g, Vulgate, read as the English version, wherein Paul admits that 'meat neither presents us as commended nor as disapproved before God:' it does not affect our religious status (Romans 14:6; Romans 14:17), but urges that they lose nothing by not eating; and at the same time, by thus limiting their liberty, they save the conscience of weak brethren. The "but" (1 Corinthians 8:9) confirms A B reading.