1 Corinthians 10
10
1Now I want to explain this to you, brothers and sisters. Our forefathers lived under the cloud, and they all passed through the sea.#10:1. The cloud of God's presence, and the passage through the Red Sea. 2Symbolically then they were baptized “into Moses” in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink, for they “drank from a spiritual rock” that accompanied them. That rock was Christ. 5However, God wasn't happy with most of them, and they perished in the desert.
6Now these experiences are examples to us to show us we should not desire what is evil, as they did. 7You must not worship idols, as some of them did, as it's recorded in Scripture: “The people feasted and drank, and indulged in pagan worship.”#10:7. See Exodus 32:6. 8We must not commit sexual sins, as some of them did, and as a result 23,000 died in one day. 9Nor should we push God to the limit, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. 10Don't complain at God, as some did, and died at the hands of the destroying angel.
11All the things that happened to them are examples to us and were written down to warn us, we who are living close to the end of time. 12So if you think you're strong enough to stay standing—be careful you don't fall! 13You won't experience any greater temptation than anyone else, and God is trustworthy. He won't allow you to be tempted more than you can bear, and when you are tempted, he will provide for you a way out so you can stay strong. 14So my good friends, stay away from idol worship.
15I'm talking to sensible people, so you decide whether I'm telling the truth. 16When we give thanks for the cup we use in the Lord's Supper, don't we share in the blood of Christ? When we break the communion bread, don't we share in the body of Christ? 17By eating from one loaf of bread, we show that even though we are many, we are one body. 18Look at the people of Israel. Don't those who eat the sacrifices made on the altar share together? 19What am I saying then? That anything sacrificed to idols means anything, or that an idol has any real existence? Of course not! 20The pagans are sacrificing to demons, and not to God. I don't want you to have anything to do with demons! 21You can't drink the Lord's cup as well as the cup of demons; you can't eat from the Lord's table as well as the table of demons. 22Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
23Some say, “I'm free to do anything”—but not everything is appropriate! “I'm free to do anything”—but not everything is constructive!#10:23. See 6:12. 24You shouldn't look out for yourself, but for your neighbor. 25Eat whatever is sold in the market without asking questions because of your conscience,#10:25. This refers back to the issue of food sacrificed to idols 26for “the earth and everything in it belong to God.”#10:26. Quoting Psalms 24:1
27If a non-Christian invites you to a meal, and you feel like going, eat whatever you are served, without asking questions because of your conscience. 28But if someone tells you, “This food has been sacrificed to idols,” don't eat it for the sake of the one who mentioned it and for conscience' sake. 29His conscience I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else's conscience?#10:29. This question seems to be at odds with the previous verse. Paul is arguing for tolerance—both of the one who is offended at eating meat sacrificed to idols, and the other who sees no problem with it since the “gods” of idols do not exist. 30If I choose to eat with thankfulness, why should I be criticized for eating what I'm thankful to God for? 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, make sure to do everything to the glory of God. 32Don't cause offense, whether it's to Jews or Greeks or the church of God— 33just as I try to please everybody in all I do. I don't think of what benefits me, but what benefits others, so that they may be saved.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
1 Corinthians 10
10
Warnings From Israel’s History
1For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”#10:7 Exodus 32:6 8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9We should not test Christ,#10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13No temptation#10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted#10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,#10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested. he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
18Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 19Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
The Believer’s Freedom
23“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”#10:26 Psalm 24:1
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
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