1 Corinthians 10
10
Warning From History
1Brothers and sisters, I want you to know what happened to our ancestors who were with Moses. They were all under the cloud,#10:1 cloud The cloud that led and protected the people of Israel on their journey out of Egypt, across the Red Sea, and through the wilderness. See Ex. 13:20-22; 14:19, 20. and they all walked through the sea. 2They were all baptized#10:2 baptized See “baptize” in the Word List. Here, Paul seems to mean that what happened to the Jews with Moses can be compared to the baptism of a believer into Christ. into 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, and that rock was Christ. 5But God was not pleased with most of those people, so they were killed in the desert.
6And these things that happened are examples for us. These examples should stop us from wanting evil things like those people did. 7Don’t worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink and then got up to have a wild party.”#Quote from Ex. 32:6. 8We should not commit sexual sins as some of them did. In one day 23,000 of them died because of their sin. 9We should not test Christ#10:9 Christ Some Greek copies say, “the Lord.” as some of them did. Because of that, they were killed by snakes. 10And don’t complain as some of them did. Because they complained, they were killed by the angel that destroys.
11The things that happened to those people are examples. They were written to be warnings for us. We live in the time that all those past histories were pointing to. 12So anyone who thinks they are standing strong should be careful that they don’t fall. 13The only temptations that you have are the same temptations that all people have. But you can trust God. He will not let you be tempted more than you can bear. But when you are tempted, God will also give you a way to escape that temptation. Then you will be able to endure it.
14So, my dear friends, stay away from worshiping idols. 15You are intelligent people. Judge for yourselves the truth of what I say now. 16The cup of blessing#10:16 cup of blessing The cup of wine that believers in Christ thank God for and drink at the Lord’s Supper. that we give thanks for is a sharing in the blood sacrifice of Christ, isn’t it? And the bread that we break is a sharing in the body of Christ, isn’t it? 17There is one loaf of bread, so we who are many are one body, because we all share in that one loaf.
18And think about what the people of Israel do. When they eat the sacrifices,#10:18 sacrifices Animals killed and offered as gifts to God. they are united by sharing what was offered on the altar. 19So, am I saying that sacrifices to idols are the same as those Jewish sacrifices? No, because an idol is nothing, and the things offered to idols are worth nothing. 20But I am saying that when food is sacrificed to idols, it is an offering to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to share anything with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and then go drink a cup that honors demons. You cannot share a meal at the Lord’s table and then go share a meal that honors demons. 22Doing that would make the Lord jealous.#10:22 make the Lord jealous See Deut. 32:16, 17. Do you really want to do that? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
Use Your Freedom for God’s Glory
23“All things are allowed,” you say. But not all things are good. “All things are allowed.” But some things don’t help anyone. 24Try to do what is good for others, not just what is good for yourselves.
25Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Don’t ask questions about it to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat. 26You can eat it, “because the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”#Quote from Ps. 24:1; 50:12; 89:11.
27Someone who is not a believer might invite you to eat with them. If you want to go, then eat anything that is put before you. Don’t ask questions to see if it is something you think is wrong to eat. 28But if someone tells you, “That food was offered to idols,” then don’t eat it. That’s because some people think it is wrong, and it might cause a problem for the person who told you that. 29I don’t mean that you think it is wrong. But the other person might think it is wrong. That’s the only reason not to eat it. My own freedom should not be judged by what another person thinks. 30I eat the meal with thankfulness. So I don’t 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 it for the glory of God. 32Never do anything that might make other people do wrong—Jews, non-Jews, or anyone in God’s church. 33I do the same thing. I try to please everyone in every way. I am not trying to do what is good for me. I am trying to do what is good for the most people so that they can be saved.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
1 Corinthians 10
10
A History Lesson from Israel
1 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and all ate the same spiritual food, 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert.
6Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we should not be desirers of evil things, just as those also desired them, 7and not become idolaters, as some of them did, just as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play,”#A quotation from Exod 32:6 8nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day, 9nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested him, and were destroyed by snakes, 10nor grumble, just as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11Now these things happened to those people as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12Therefore, the one who thinks that he stands must watch out lest he fall. 13Temptation has not come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, so that you may be able to endure it.
Warning Against Idolatry
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I am speaking as to sensible people; you judge what I am saying. 16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share from the one bread. 18Consider Israel according to the flesh: are not the ones who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 19Therefore, what am I saying? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but that the things which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers with demons. 21You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You are not able to share the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22Or are we attempting to provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than he is, are we?#*The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
Freedom in Christ
23All things are permitted, but not all things are profitable. All things are permitted, but not all things build up. 24Let no one seek his own good#Literally “the - of himself”; “good” is implied but the good of the other. 25Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions#Literally “questioning nothing” for the sake of the conscience, 26for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”#A quotation from Ps 24:1, and an allusion to Ps 50:12; 89:11 27If any of the unbelievers invites you, and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, asking no questions#Literally “questioning nothing” for the sake of the conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This is offered to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and the conscience. 29Now I am not speaking about your own conscience, but the conscience of the other person. For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?
31Therefore, whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. 32Give no offense#Literally “be blameless” both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God, 33just as I also please all people in all things, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of the many, in order that they may be saved.
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