The So (Good News Bible‘s “Well”) suggests that Paul begins a summary here that includes elements from the entire argument since the beginning of chapter 8.

Whatever you do should be understood as a summary of any activity that can be added to whether you eat or drink. Also, whether you eat or drink should not be understood as if eat and drink are alternatives. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has “So I say: whether you eat or drink or do something else, do everything to the glory of God.”

Glory of God too often is a set phrase used mainly in church circles. To give it its full meaning one may say “do everything in such a way that God will be honored.”

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .