1 Corinthians 10
10
Warnings from Israel's History
1I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters,#10.1 Gk brothers that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
6Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” 8We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christ#10.9 Other ancient authorities read the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
14Therefore, my dear friends,#10.14 Gk my beloved flee from the worship of idols. 15I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18Consider the people of Israel;#10.18 Gk Israel according to the flesh are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
Do All to the Glory of God
23“All things are lawful,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other. 25Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord's.” 27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29I mean the other's conscience, not your own. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else's conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
1 Corinthians 10
10
Warnings From Israel’s History
1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know something about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud through the desert, and they all walked through the Red Sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food, 4and they all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went along with them, and that rock was Christ. 5But God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the desert.
6Now those things happened as examples for us, to keep us from wanting evil things the way they did. 7So don’t worship idols, as some of them did. It is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance wildly in front of their god.” 8We shouldn’t commit sexual sins, as some of them did—and in one day, 23,000 of them died. 9We shouldn’t test the Lord, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes. 10And don’t speak against God, as some of the people of Israel did—and they were killed by the destroying angel.
11Those things happened to them as examples, and they were written down as a warning to us. We’re living at the time when God’s work is being completed. 12So if you think you’re standing firm, be careful—you might fall. 13You’re tempted in the same way that all other human beings are. And God is faithful; he won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can endure. When you are tempted, God will provide a way out, and then you’ll be able to resist.
Sharing in the Lord’s Supper
14My dear friends, stay far away from the worship of idols. 15I know I’m talking to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16We give thanks for the cup at the Lord’s Supper. When we do, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because we all share the one loaf.
18Think about the people of Israel. Don’t those who eat the offerings share in the worship that takes place at the altar? 19Do I mean that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No! But the sacrifices of those who worship idols are really offered to demons, not to God, and I don’t want you to have anything to do with demons. 21You can’t drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can’t have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
The Believer’s Freedom
23You say, “I have the right to do anything,” but not everything is helpful. “I have the right to do anything,” you say, but not everything builds us up. 24No one should look out only for their own interests. Instead, they should look out for the interests of others.
25With a clear conscience you can eat anything that’s sold in the meat market. 26Scripture says, “The earth belongs to the Lord, and so does everything in it.”
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, with a clear conscience you can eat anything that’s put in front of you. 28But if someone says to you, “This food has been sacrificed to an idol,” then don’t eat it, for the sake of the person who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29I’m talking about the other person’s conscience, not yours. Why should my freedom be judged by what someone else thinks? 30If I’ve given thanks for my food, then I shouldn’t be blamed for eating something that I’ve thanked God for.
31So whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do it all for the glory of God. 32Don’t do anything that causes other people to trip and fall, whether Jews or Greeks or God’s church. 33Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I’m not looking out for what’s good for me. I’m looking out for the interests of others, so that they might be saved.
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