1 Corinthians 10
1 My fellow believers, I want to remind you about our(exc) [Jewish] ancestors. They were all under the cloud [by which God miraculously led them and protected them when they left Egypt with Moses]. All those ancestors crossed the [Red] Sea [after God miraculously made the water separate so that they could walk through it].
I want you to bear in mind, Brothers, that all our ancestors were beneath the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2 God caused all of them to begin to live under the authority of [MTY] Moses [when they walked] under that cloud and [walked through the Red] Sea.
that in the cloud and in the sea they all underwent baptism as followers of Moses;
3 All [those ancestors of ours ate the same food that God] miraculously [provided].
and that they all ate the same supernatural food,
4 They all drank water that [God] miraculously [provided]. That is, they all drank water that God miraculously made come out of the rock. That rock was [a symbol of] [MET] Christ, who went with them. [So we conclude that God helped all of those people in many ways].
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, [we also conclude that] God was angry [LIT] with most of those people [because they sinned against him. He caused almost all of them to die, and as] a result their bodies were scattered in the desert.
Yet with most of them God was displeased; for they were ‘struck down in the desert.’
6 Those things [that happened long ago] became examples to teach us [the following things]: We should not desire to [do] evil things as those people desired to do.
Now these things happened as warnings to us, to teach us not to long for evil things as our forefathers longed.
7 We should not worship idols as many of those people did. [Remember that Moses] wrote, “The people sat down. They ate and drank [to honor the golden calf that they had just made]. Then they got up to dance [immorally].”
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 We should not have sexual relations with someone to whom we are not married, as many of them did. As a result, God [punished them by] causing 23,000 people to die in [only] 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 We should not try to see how much we can sin without the Lord punishing us. Some of them did that, and as a result they died because [poisonous] snakes [bit them].
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 the snakes.’
10 We should not complain [about what God does]. Some of them did that, and as a result an angel destroyed them. [So God will certainly punish us if we sin like they did].
And do not murmur, as some of them murmured, and so ‘were destroyed by the Angel of Death.’
11 All those things [that happened to our ancestors long ago] are examples for us. [Moses] wrote those things to warn us [who are living at this time which is near the end]. We are the people for whom God has done [the things that he decided to do in] the previous periods of time. (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 So [I say this to] all those who confidently [think that they will always] steadfastly continue to [believe what God said and will never disobey what he commanded]: Be careful that you [(sg)] do not sin [when you are tempted].
Therefore let the man who thinks that he stands take care that he does not fall.
13 [Remember that] your desires to sin are the same desires that other people have. But when you are tempted to sin, you can trust God [to help you]. He will not permit you to be tempted {anything to tempt you} more than you are able to resist. Instead, when you are tempted {things tempt you}, he will also provide a way [for you] to endure it [without sinning].
No temptation has come upon you that is not common to all mankind. 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 So, [I say to] you people whom I love, [avoid] worshipping idols [just like you would] run away from [anything that is dangerous].
Therefore, my dear friends, shun the worship of idols.
15 It is to people who [think that they] are wise that I write. So, you, as wise people, judge whether what I am writing [is true].
I speak to you as man of discernment; form your own judgment about what I am saying.
16 [During the Lord’s Supper, after we ask God to] bless (the [wine]/the [juice]) [in the] cup, we give thanks for it [and drink it]. By doing that, we certainly are [RHQ] sharing in what Christ [did for us when] his blood [flowed from his body when he died. During the Lord’s Supper, when we break] the bread [and eat it], we are certainly sharing in [MTY] what Christ [did for us when] his body [suffered for us on the cross]. [RHQ]
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 it is one loaf of bread that we [break and eat during the Lord’s Supper, it symbolizes that] we who are many are one group, because we all eat from the one loaf.
The Bread is one, and we, though many, are one body; for we all partake of that one Bread.
18 Consider [what happens when] the Israeli people [eat the food that the priests] sacrifice on the altar [outside the Temple]. They participate in [what the priests do at] [MTY] the altar. [RHQ] [Similarly, if you eat food that non-believers have offered to an idol in a temple, you are participating in their worship of the idol there].
Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices share with the altar?
19 By saying that, [I] do not mean that offering food to an idol makes it anything [more than just ordinary food [RHQ].] I do not mean that an idol is anything [more than just an idol].
What do I mean? you ask. That an offering made to an idol, or the idol itself, is anything?
20 No! Instead, I mean that what people sacrifice [to idols], they are sacrificing to demons, not to God. So, [if you eat food that has been sacrificed to idols, you are participating in worshipping the demons that the idols represent]. And I do not want you to participate in worshipping 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 When you drink the [grape juice/wine in] [MTY] the cup [at the Lord’s Supper], you cannot participate in the [blessings that] the Lord [Jesus] brought to us and at the same time drink the [wine in the] [MTY] cup that people offer to demons! When you eat at the Lord’s table, you cannot participate in the blessings the Lord provided [MTY] when he died for us and at the same time participate in the things that represent demons [by eating food that has been sacrificed to idols]
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 [If you participate in honoring demons in that way], you will certainly make the Lord very angry [RHQ]! (Remember that you are certainly not stronger than he is./Do you think that you are stronger than he is?) [RHQ] [Certainly not, so you will not escape his punishing you if you honor demons in that way!]
Or ‘are we to rouse the jealousy of the Lord’? Are we stronger than he?
23 [Some people say], “[God] permits [believers to do] anything.” But [I say that] not everything that people do benefits [those who do it! Yes, some people say], “God permits [believers to do] all things.” But not everything that people do helps them to become [spiritually] mature.
Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything is not profitable. Everything is allowable! Yes, but everything does not build up character.
24 No one should try to benefit [only] himself. Instead, each person should try to benefit other people [spiritually].
A man must not study his own interests, but the interests of others.
25 [This is what you should do]: Eat any [food] that is sold {that people sell} in the market. Do not ask questions [to find out if that food has been offered] {[someone offered that food]} [to idols, just] because you think it would be wrong [to eat such food].
Eat anything that is sold in the market, without making inquiries to satisfy your scruples;
26 [Remember that the Psalmist wrote], “Everything on the earth belongs to [the] Lord [God because he created it!]” [So, food that has been offered to idols belongs to the Lord, not to the idols, and you may eat it].
for ‘the earth, with all that is in it, belongs to the Lord.’
27 If a non-believer invites you to a meal, go if you want to, and eat any food that is set {that [he] sets} before you. Do not ask [whether it was offered to idols, just] because you think that it would be wrong [to eat such food].
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 someone says to you, “This is food that was sacrificed [to an idol],” do not eat it, for the sake of the person who told that to you, and also because someone there may think that it is wrong [to eat such food].
But, if any one 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 I do not mean that you [should be concerned about whether it is all right to eat such food]. What I mean is that you should be concerned about others who may think that it is wrong to eat such food. Since I know that I (am free/have the right) [to eat such food without God punishing me], no one should [RHQ] say that what I am doing is wrong just because he himself thinks that it is wrong.
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 thank [God] for the food when I eat [food that has been offered to an idol], no one should criticize me for eating food for which I have thanked God [RHQ]!
If, for my part, I take the food thankfully, why should I be abused for eating that for which I give thanks?
31 So [I say to you in conclusion], when you eat [food], or drink [something], or do anything else, do everything in order that [people will] praise God.
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything to the honour of God.
32 Do not do anything that would hinder Jews or Greeks [from becoming believers], and do not do things that would encourage members of God’s congregations to sin.
Do not cause offence either to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God;
33 [Do as I do]. I try to please everyone in every way. I do this by not seeking to benefit myself. Instead, I try to benefit many others, in order that they may be saved {that [God] may save them} [from the guilt of their sins].
for I, also, try to please everybody in everything, not seeking my own advantage, but that of men in general, that they may be saved.
