1 Corinthians 10
10
Warning Against Idolatry
1#Ex 14:29; Ps 66:6I would not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3#Ex 16:35; Dt 8:3all ate the same spiritual food; 4#Ex 17:6; Nu 20:11and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5#Heb 3:17; Jude 1:5But with many of them God was not well pleased, and they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6#Nu 11:4; 1Co 10:11Now these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they lusted. 7#Ex 32:19; 32:4Neither be idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.”#Ex 32:6. 8#Nu 25:1–9; 1Co 6:18Neither let us commit sexual immorality as some of them committed, when twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9#Nu 21:5–6; Ex 17:2Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. 10#Ex 12:23; Nu 16:41Neither murmur, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11#Ro 13:11Now all these things happened to them for examples. They are written as an admonition to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. 12#Ro 11:20Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall. 13#1Co 1:9; 2Pe 2:9No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14#1Co 10:7; 1Jn 5:21So, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15#1Co 8:1; 1Th 5:21I speak as to wise men. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16#Mt 26:26–28; Ac 2:42The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17#Ro 12:5; 1Co 12:12For we, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18#Ro 4:1Consider Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19#1Co 8:4What am I saying then, that the idol is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything? 20#Rev 9:20But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God. I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22#Dt 32:21; 32:16Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Do All to the Glory of God
23#1Co 6:12; 8:9“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things edify. 24#1Co 10:33; 13:5Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
25#1Co 8:7Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no question for the sake of conscience, 26#Ps 24:1; 50:12for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”#Ps 24:1.
27If any of those who do not believe invite you to a feast, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for the sake of conscience. 28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered in sacrifice to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of him that mentioned it and for the sake of conscience, for “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”#Ps 24:1. 29#1Co 9:19Conscience, I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30#Ro 14:6; 1Ti 4:3–4If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
31#Col 3:17; 1Pe 4:11Therefore, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. 32#Ac 20:28; 1Co 8:13; Ro 14:13Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God, 33#1Co 10:24just as I try to please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
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Military Bible Association
1 Corinthians 10
10
Lessons from Israel’s Idolatry
1I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters,#10:1 Greek brothers. about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.”#10:7 Exod 32:6. 8And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.
9Nor should we put Christ#10:9 Some manuscripts read the Lord. to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
12If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
14So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 17And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 18Think about the people of Israel. Weren’t they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar?
19What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons. 21You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord’s Table and at the table of demons, too. 22What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord’s jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
23You say, “I am allowed to do anything”#10:23 Greek All things are lawful; also in 10:23b.—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. 24Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.
25So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. 26For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”#10:26 Ps 24:1.
27If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. 28(But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
31So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles#10:32 Greek or Greeks. or the church of God. 33I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
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