1 Corinthians 10
10
Don’t Be Like the Jews
1Brothers, I want you to know what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the cloud, and they all went through the sea. 2They were all baptized as followers of Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food. 4And they all drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from that spiritual rock that was with them. That rock was Christ. 5But God was not pleased with most of them. They died in the desert.
6And these things that happened are examples for us. They should stop us from wanting evil things as those people did. 7Do not worship idols, as some of them did. It is written in the Scriptures: “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up and had wild parties.”# Quotation from Exodus 32:6. 8We should not take part in sexual sin, as some of them did. In one day 23,000 of them died because of their sins. 9We should not test the Lord as some of them did. They were killed by snakes. 10And do not complain as some of them did. They were killed by the angel that destroys.
11The things that happened to those people are examples. And they were written down to be warnings for us. For we live in a time when all these things of the past have reached their goal. 12So anyone who thinks he is standing strong should be careful not to fall. 13The only temptations that you have are the temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to stand it.
14So, my dear friends, stay away from worshiping idols. 15I am speaking to you, as to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16We give thanks for the cup of blessing.# The cup of the fruit of the vine that Christians thank God for and drink at the Lord’s Supper. It is a sharing in the blood of Christ’s death. And the bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. 17There is one loaf of bread. And we are many people. But we all share from that one loaf. So we are really one body.
18Think about the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices share in the altar? 19I do not mean that the food sacrificed to an idol is something important. And I do not mean that an idol is anything at all. 20But I say that what is sacrificed to idols is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to share anything with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons, too. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons, too. 22Do we want to make the Lord jealous? We are not stronger than he is, are we?
How to Use Christian Freedom
23“We are allowed to do all things.” Yes. But not all things are good for us to do. “We are allowed to do all things.” Yes. But not all things help others grow stronger. 24No one should try to do what will help only himself. He should try to do what is good for others.
25Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Do not ask questions about the meat to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat. 26You can eat it, “because the earth and everything on it belong to the Lord.”# Quotation from Psalms 24:1; 50:12; 89:11.
27Someone who is not a believer may invite you to eat with him. If you want to go, eat anything that is put before you. Do not ask questions about it. 28But if anyone says to you, “That food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it. Do not eat it because of that person who told you and because eating it would be something that might be thought wrong. 29I don’t mean that you think it is wrong. But the other person might think it is wrong. My own freedom should not be judged by what someone else thinks. 30I eat the meal with thankfulness. And I do not want to be criticized because of something I thank God for.
31So if you eat, or if you drink, or if you do anything, do everything for the glory of God. 32Never do anything that might make others do wrong—Jews, Greeks, or God’s church. 33I do the same thing. I try to please everybody in every way. I am not trying to do what is good for me. I try to do what is good for the most people. I do this so that they can be saved.
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
I Corinthians 10
10
Old Testament Examples
1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under #Ex. 13:21, 22; Ps. 105:39the cloud, all passed through #Ex. 14:21, 22, 29; Neh. 9:11; Ps. 66:6the sea, 2all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3all ate the same #Ex. 16:4, 15, 35; Deut. 8:3; Neh. 9:15, 20; Ps. 78:24; John 6:31spiritual food, 4and all drank the same #Ex. 17:5–7; Num. 20:11; Ps. 78:15spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies #Num. 14:29, 37; 26:65; Heb. 3:17; Jude 5were scattered in the wilderness.
6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as #Num. 11:4, 34; Ps. 106:14they also lusted. 7#Ex. 32:4; 1 Cor. 5:11; 10:14And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, #Ex. 32:6; 1 Cor. 15:32“The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8#Rev. 2:14Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as #Num. 25:1–9some of them did, and #Ps. 106:29in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9nor let us tempt Christ, as #Ex. 17:2, 7some of them also tempted, and #Num. 21:6–9were destroyed by serpents; 10nor complain, as #Ex. 16:2some of them also complained, and #Num. 14:37were destroyed by #Ex. 12:23; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Heb. 11:28the destroyer. 11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and #Rom. 15:4they were written for our admonition, #Phil. 4:5upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12Therefore #Rom. 11:20let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but #1 Cor. 1:9God is faithful, #Ps. 125:3who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Flee from Idolatry
14Therefore, my beloved, #2 Cor. 6:17flee from idolatry. 15I speak as to #1 Cor. 8:1wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16#Matt. 26:26–28; Mark 14:23; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? #Matt. 26:26; Luke 22:19; Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 11:23The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17For #Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12, 27; Eph. 4:4, 16; Col. 3:15we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.
18Observe #Rom. 4:12Israel #Rom. 4:1after the flesh: #Lev. 3:3; 7:6, 14; Deut. 12:17Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19What am I saying then? #1 Cor. 8:4That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20Rather, that the things which the Gentiles #Lev. 17:7sacrifice #Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37; Gal. 4:8; Rev. 9:20they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21#2 Cor. 6:15, 16You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and #Deut. 32:38the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the #(1 Cor. 11:23–29)Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22Or do we #Deut. 32:21provoke the Lord to jealousy? #Ezek. 22:14Are we stronger than He?
All to the Glory of God
23All things are lawful for me, but not all things are #1 Cor. 6:12helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24Let no one seek his own, but each one #Phil. 2:4the other’s well-being.
25#(1 Tim. 4:4)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26for #Ex. 19:5; Ps. 24:1; 50:12; 1 Tim. 4:4“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
27If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, #Luke 10:7, 8eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it #(1 Cor. 8:7, 10, 12)for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for #Deut. 10:14; Ps. 24:1“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29“Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For #Rom. 14:16; (1 Cor. 9:19)why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food #Rom. 14:6over which I give thanks?
31#Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32#Rom. 14:13Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33just #Rom. 15:2; 1 Cor. 9:22; (Gal. 1:10)as I also 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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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.