1 Corinthians 8:5

καὶ γὰρ εἴπερ εἰσίν. ‘For even if we admit that there are,’ a supposition the truth of which the Apostle immediately concedes. εἴπερ with the present is equivalent to since.

ὥσπερ εἰσὶν θεοὶ πολλοὶ καὶ κύριοι πολλοί. The Apostle here certainly gives his adhesion to the existence of these beings, though he does not (see next verse) regard them as divine. They exist, and are called θεοί by the heathen. But the term is a misnomer. δαιμόνια is the proper title for those spiritual beings whom the heathen worship. But an idol is nothing whatever. See ch. 1 Corinthians 10:19-20. What St Paul would deny is that the εἴδωλον or representation had any sort of affinity with the beings who really rejoiced in men’s ignorance on this point, and profited by it. On this mysterious question cf. John 12:31; John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:12, and the Revelation passim.