1 Corinthians 10
10
Warning Against Idolatry
1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,#10:1 Or brothers and sisters that our fathers were all under #See Ex. 13:21 the cloud, and all #See Ex. 14:22passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3and #Ex. 16:15, 35; Deut. 8:3; Neh. 9:15, 20; Ps. 78:24 all ate the same #Ps. 78:25; 105:40; John 6:31spiritual food, 4and #See Ex. 17:6all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for #Num. 14:29, 37; 26:64, 65; Ps. 106:26; Heb. 3:17; Jude 5they were overthrown#10:5 Or were laid low in the wilderness.
6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as #Num. 11:4, 33, 34; Ps. 78:18; 106:14they did. 7#ver. 14 Do not be idolaters #Ex. 32:4 as some of them were; as it is written, #Cited from Ex. 32:6“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8#See ch. 6:18; Acts 15:20 We must not indulge in sexual immorality #Num. 25:1 as some of them did, and #[Num. 25:9; Ps. 106:29]twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christ#10:9 Some manuscripts the Lord to the test, #Num. 21:5; [Ex. 17:2, 7]; See Ps. 78:18 as some of them did and #See Num. 21:6were destroyed by serpents, 10nor grumble, #See Num. 14:2 as some of them did and #Num. 14:29-37 were destroyed by #Ex. 12:23; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15; Ps. 78:49the Destroyer. 11Now these things happened to them as an example, but #See Rom. 4:23 they were written down for our instruction, #See Rom. 13:11on whom the end of the ages has come. 12Therefore #Rom. 11:20; [2 Pet. 3:17]let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. #See ch. 1:9 God is faithful, and #[Dan. 3:17]; See 2 Pet. 2:9he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
14Therefore, my beloved, #ver. 7flee from idolatry. 15I speak #[ch. 8:1]as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16#ch. 11:25; Matt. 26:27, 28 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? #ch. 11:23, 24; Matt. 26:26; See Acts 2:42; 20:7The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are #ch. 12:12, 13, 20; Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:4, 16; Col. 3:15one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18Consider #Rom. 1:3; 4:1; 9:5; 2 Cor. 11:18 the people of Israel:#10:18 Greek Consider Israel according to the flesh #Lev. 3:3; 7:15; [Heb. 13:10]are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that #See ch. 8:4an idol is anything? 20No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice #Deut. 32:17they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21#[2 Cor. 6:15, 16] You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and #[Deut. 32:38] the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and #[Isa. 65:11]the table of demons. 22#Deut. 32:21 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? #Eccles. 6:10; Ezek. 22:14Are we stronger than he?
Do All to the Glory of God
23 # ch. 6:12; See ch. 8:9 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24#ver. 33; ch. 13:5; Phil. 2:21; [ch. 9:23; 2 Cor. 12:14]; See Rom. 15:1Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25#ch. 8:7Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26For #Cited from Ps. 24:1; [Ex. 9:29; 19:5; Deut. 10:14; Job 41:11; Ps. 50:12]“the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, #Luke 10:8eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29I do not mean #[ch. 8:9-12] your conscience, but his. For #[ch. 9:19; Rom. 14:16]why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that #Rom. 14:6; 1 Tim. 4:3, 4for which I give thanks?
31So, whether you eat or drink, or #Col. 3:17; 1 Pet. 4:11whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32#ch. 8:13; Rom. 14:13; 2 Cor. 6:3 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to #[ch. 11:16]; See Acts 20:28the church of God, 33just as #ch. 9:22; [Gal. 1:10] I try to please everyone in everything I do, #See ver. 24not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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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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