1 Corinthians 10:20

“But I say, etc.] This is my sense and meaning, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice unto devils, and not to God; reference is had to (<053217>Deuteronomy 32:17) for what the Gentiles sacrificed, though they did not sacrifice intentionally to the idols of gold, silver, wood, and stone, but to God in them, as they pretended; yet inasmuch as in such worship and sacrifices they were directed, instigated, influenced, and assisted by devils, who took up their residence in these idols, and gave forth their oracles from them, they sacrificed to them; and which some have done, as in India and China, professedly and openly, and all other idolaters, eventually, virtually, and…”

“I would not that ye . . . have fellowship with devils--by partaking of idol feasts (Co1 8:10).”

“But - The negative here is omitted, but is understood. The ellipsis of a negative after an interrogative sentence is common in the Classical writers as well as in the Scriptures. Bloomfield. The sense is, “No; I do not say this, but I say that there are reasons why you should not partake of those sacrifices; and one of those reasons is, that they have been really offered to devils.” They sacrifice to devils - (δαιμονίοις daimoniois, “demons”). The pagans used the word demon either in a good or a bad sense. They applied it commonly to spirits that were supposed to be inferior to the supreme God; genii; attending spirits; or, as they called them, divinities, or gods. A part were in their view…”

“sacrifice: Lev 17:7; Deu 32:16, Deu 32:17; Ch2 11:15; Psa 106:37-39; Co2 4:4; Rev 9:20 1 Corinthians 10:21”