1 Corinthians 10

1 But I want you not to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

I want you to bear in mind, friends, that all our ancestors were beneath the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 and all in Moses were immersed in the cloud and in the sea.

that in the cloud and in the sea they all underwent baptism as followers of Moses;

3 And they all ate the same spiritual food,

and that they all ate the same supernatural food,

4 and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them. And the rock was the Christ.

and all drank the same supernatural water, for they used to drink from a supernatural rock which followed them, and that rock was the Christ.

5 However with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn in the wilderness.

Yet with most of them God was displeased; for they were struck down in the desert.

6 But these things became our examples, for us not to be men who lust for evil things as those also lusted.

Now these things happened as warnings to us, to teach us not to long for evil things as our ancestors longed.

7 Neither become ye idolaters as some of them, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.

Do not become idolaters, as some of them became. Scripture says – ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to dance.’

8 Nor should we fornicate as some of them fornicated, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them acted, with the result that twenty-three thousand of them fell dead in a single day.

9 Nor should we challenge the Christ as some of them also challenged, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Nor let us try the patience of the Lord too far, as some of them tried it, with the result that they were, one after another, destroyed by snakes.

10 And ye should not grumble as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

And do not murmur, as some of them murmured, and so were destroyed by the angel of death.

11 Now all these things happened to those men for examples, and they were written for our admonition, to whom the ends of the ages came. (aiōn g165)

These things happened to them by way of warning, and were recorded to serve as a caution to us, in whose days the close of the ages has come. (aiōn g165)

12 Therefore let him who seems to stand take heed lest he fall.

Therefore let the person who thinks that they stand take care that they do not fall.

13 No temptation has taken you except is common to man. But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted above what ye are able, but with the temptation will also make the way to escape, to enable you to endure.

No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all humanity. God will not fail you, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength; but, when he sends the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, so that you may have strength to endure.

14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Therefore, my dear friends, shun the worship of idols.

15 I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say.

I speak to you as man of discernment; form your own judgment about what I am saying.

16 The cup of the blessing that we bless, is it not a participation of the blood of the Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation of the body of the Christ?

In the cup of blessing which we bless, is not there a sharing in the blood of the Christ? And in the bread which we break, is not there a sharing in the body of the Christ?

17 Because we, the many, are one bread, one body, for we are all partakers of the one bread.

The bread is one, and we, though many, are one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

18 Look at Israel according to flesh. Those who eat the sacrifices, are they not partakers of the altar?

Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices share with the altar?

19 What therefore do I say, that an idol is anything, or that a sacrifice to an idol is anything?

What do I mean? That an offering made to an idol, or the idol itself, is anything?

20 Rather, that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become partakers of demons.

No; what I say is that the sacrifices offered by the Gentiles are offered to demons and to a being who is no God, and I do not want you to share with demons.

21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons. Ye cannot be partakers of a table of the Lord, and of a table of demons.

You cannot drink both the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons.

22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Or are we to rouse the jealousy of the Lord? Are we stronger than he?

23 All things are permitted for me, but not all things are expedient. All things are permitted for me, but not all things are constructive.

Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything is not profitable. Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything does not build up character.

24 Let not one man seek that of himself, but each man that of the other.

A person must not study their own interests, but the interests of others.

25 Eat everything being sold in a meat market, inquiring of nothing because of the conscience,

Eat anything that is sold in the market, without making inquiries to satisfy your scruples;

26 for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it.

for the earth, with all that is in it, belongs to the Lord.

27 If any of those unbelievers invites you, and ye want to go, eat everything being set before you, inquiring of nothing because of the conscience.

If an unbeliever invites you to his house and you consent to go, eat anything that is put before you, without making inquiries to satisfy your scruples.

28 But if any man says to you, This is a sacrifice to an idol, do not eat for the sake of that man who informed, and the conscience, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness of it.

But, if anyone should say to you ‘This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol,’ then, for the sake of the speaker and his scruples, do not eat it.

29 And I say conscience, not the one of himself, but the one of the other man. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

I do not say your scruples, but his. For why should the freedom that I claim be condemned by the scruples of another?

30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I maligned about which I express thanks?

If, for my part, I take the food thankfully, why should I be abused for eating that for which I give thanks?

31 Therefore whether ye eat, or drink, or anything ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the honor of God.

32 Become ye inoffensive both to Jews and to Greeks, and to the church of God,

Do not cause offense either to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God;

33 just as I also strive to please in all things for all men, not seeking my own advantage, but that of the many, so that they may be saved.

for I, also, try to please everybody in everything, not seeking my own advantage, but do what is best for others, so that they may be saved.