1 Corinthians 10
1 Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all 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 were all baptized into Moses 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 all ate the same spiritual food;
and that they all ate the same supernatural food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was 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 overthrown in the wilderness.
Yet with most of them God was displeased; for they were struck down in the desert.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
Now these things happened as warnings to us, to teach us not to long for evil things as our ancestors longed.
7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
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 Let’s not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.
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 Let’s not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished 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 Do not grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished 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 them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages (aiōn g165) have come.
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 thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall.
Therefore let the person who thinks that they stand take care that they do not fall.
13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
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 what I say.
I speak to you as man of discernment; form your own judgment about what I am saying.
16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is not it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is not it a sharing of the body of 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 there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
The bread is one, and we, though many, are one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
18 Consider Israel according to the flesh. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices share with the altar?
19 What am I saying then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
What do I mean? That an offering made to an idol, or the idol itself, is anything?
20 But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not desire that you would have fellowship with 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 You cannot both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot both partake of the table of the Lord and of the 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 lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up.
Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything is not profitable. Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything does not build up character.
24 Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good.
A person must not study their own interests, but the interests of others.
25 Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of 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 its fullness.”
for the earth, with all that is in it, belongs to the Lord.
27 But if one of those who do not believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of 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 anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, with all its fullness.”
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 Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. 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 denounced for something I give thanks for?
If, for my part, I take the food thankfully, why should I be abused for eating that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the honour of God.
32 Give no occasion for stumbling, whether to Jews, to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;
Do not cause offence either to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God;
33 even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, 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.
