1 Corinthians 10

1 And, my Brethren, I would have you know, that our fathers were all of them under the cloud, and they all passed through the sea;

For I would have you remember, brethren, how our forefathers were all of them sheltered by the cloud, and all got safely through the Red Sea.

2 and they were all baptized by Moses, in the cloud and in the sea;

All were baptized in the cloud and in the sea to be followers of Moses.

3 and they all ate the same spiritual food;

All ate the same spiritual food,

4 and they all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that attended them, and that rock was the Messiah.

and all drank the same spiritual drink; for they long drank the water that flowed from the spiritual rock that went with them--and that rock was the Christ.

5 But with a multitude of them, God was not pleased; for they fell in the wilderness.

But with most of them God was not well pleased; for they were laid low in the Desert.

6 Now these things were an example for us, that we should not hanker after evil things as they hankered.

And in this they became a warning to us, to teach us not to be eager, as they were eager, in pursuit of what is evil.

7 Neither should we serve idols, as some of them served; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to sport.

And you must not be worshippers of idols, as some of them were. For it is written, "The People sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to dance."

8 Neither let us commit whoredom, as some of them committed; and there fell in one day twenty and three thousand.

Nor may we be fornicators, like some of them who committed fornication and on a single day 23,000 of them fell dead.

9 Neither let us tempt the Messiah, as some of them tempted; and serpents destroyed them.

And do not let us test the Lord too far, as some of them tested Him and were destroyed by the serpents.

10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them murmured; and they perished by the destroyer.

And do not be discontented, as some of them were, and they were destroyed by the Destroyer.

11 All these things which befell them, were for an example to us; and they are written for our instruction, on whom the end of the world hath come. (aiōn g165)

All this kept happening to them with a figurative meaning; but it was put on record by way of admonition to us upon whom the ends of the Ages have come. (aiōn g165)

12 Wherefore, let him who thinketh he standeth, beware lest he fall.

So then let him who thinks he is standing securely beware of falling.

13 No trial cometh on you, but what pertaineth to men: and God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tried beyond your ability, but will make an issue to your trial, that ye may be able to sustain it.

No temptation has you in its power but such as is common to human nature; and God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. But, when the temptation comes, He will also provide the way of escape; so that you may be able to bear it.

14 Wherefore, my Beloved, flee from idolatry.

Therefore, my dear friends, avoid all connection with the worship of idols.

15 I speak as to the wise; judge ye what I say.

I speak as to men of sense: judge for yourselves of what I say.

16 The cup of thanksgiving which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of the Messiah? And the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of the Messiah?

The cup of blessing, which we bless, does it not mean a joint-participation in the blood of Christ? The loaf of bread which we break, does it not mean a joint-participation in the body of Christ?

17 As therefore that bread is one, so we are all one body; for we all take to ourselves from that one bread.

Since there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; we, all of us, share in that one loaf.

18 Behold the Israel who are in the flesh; are not they who eat the victims, participators of the altar?

Look at the Israelites--the nation and their ritual. Are not those who eat the sacrifices joint-partakers in the altar?

19 What then do I say? That an idol is any thing? Or, that an idol's sacrifice is any thing? No.

Do I mean that a thing sacrificed to an idol is what it claims to be, or that an idol is a real thing?

20 But that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. And I would not, that ye should be associates of demons.

No, but that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God; and I would not have you have fellowship with one another through the demons.

21 Ye cannot drink the cup of our Lord, and the cup of demons; and ye cannot be partakers at the table of our Lord, and at the table of demons.

You cannot drink the Lord's cup and the cup of demons: you cannot be joint-partakers both in the table of the Lord and in the table of demons.

22 Or, would we sedulously provoke our Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Or are we actually arousing the Lord to jealousy. Are we stronger than He is?

23 Every thing is in my power; but every thing is not profitable. Every thing is in my power; but every thing doth not edify.

Everything is allowable, but not everything is profitable. Everything is allowable, but everything does not build others up.

24 Let no one seek his own things, but also the things of his fellow-man.

Let no one be for ever seeking his own good, but let each seek that of his fellow man.

25 Whatever is sold in the flesh-market, eat ye, without an inquiry on account of conscience:

Anything that is for sale in the meat market, eat, and ask no questions for conscience' sake;

26 for the earth is the Lord's, in its fullness.

for the earth is the Lord's, and all that it contains.

27 And if one of the Gentiles invite you, and ye are disposed to go, eat ye whatever is set before you, without an inquiry on account of conscience.

If an unbeliever gives you an invitation and you are disposed to accept it, eat whatever is put before you, and ask no questions for conscience' sake.

28 But if any one shall say to you, This pertaineth to a sacrifice; eat not, for the sake of him who told you, and for conscience's sake.

But if any one tells you, "This food has been offered in sacrifice;" abstain from eating it--out of respect for him who warned you, and, as before, for conscience' sake.

29 The conscience I speak of, is not your own, but his who told you. But why is my liberty judged of, by the conscience of others?

But now I mean his conscience, not your own. "Why, on what ground," you may object, "is the question of my liberty of action to be decided by a conscience not my own?

30 If I by grace partake, why am I reproached for that, for which I give thanks?

If, so far as I am concerned, I partake with a grateful heart, why am I to be found fault with in regard to a thing for which I give thanks?"

31 If therefore ye eat, or if ye drink, or if ye do any thing, do all things for the glory of God.

Whether, then, you are eating or drinking, or whatever you are doing, let everything be done to the glory of God.

32 Be ye without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:

Do not be causes of stumbling either to Jews or to Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.

33 even as I also, in every thing, please every man; and do not seek what is profitable to me, but what is profitable to many; that they may live.

That is the way that I also seek in everything the approval of all men, not aiming at my own profit, but at that of the many, in the hope that they may be saved.