1 Corinthians 10 (New American Standard)

Avoid Israel's Mistakes

1 For ¹I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all ²under the cloud and all ³passed through the sea ; 2 and all were ⁴baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; 3 and all ⁵ate the same spiritual food ; 4 and all ⁶drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was ^aChrist. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased ; for ⁷they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as ⁸examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as ⁹they also craved. 7 Do not be ¹⁰idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, "¹¹THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND STOOD UP TO ¹²PLAY." 8 Nor let us act immorally, as ¹³some of them ^bdid, and ¹⁴twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as ¹⁵some of them ^cdid, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor ¹⁶grumble, as some of them ^ddid, and ¹⁷were destroyed by the ¹⁸destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an ¹⁹example, and ²⁰they were written for our instruction, upon whom ²¹the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who ²²thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man ; and ²³God is faithful, who will not allow you to be ²⁴tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. 14 Therefore, my ²⁵beloved, flee from ²⁶idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men ; you judge what I say. 16 Is not the ²⁷cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ ? Is not the ^e28bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ ? 17 Since there is one ^fbread, we ²⁹who are many are one body ; for we all partake of the one ^gbread. 18 Look at ^hthe nation ³⁰Israel ; are not those who ³¹eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar ? 19 What do I mean then ? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or ³²that an idol is anything ? 20 No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ³³sacrifice to demons and not to God ; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. 21 ³⁴You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons ; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ³⁵the table of demons. 22 Or do we ³⁶provoke the Lord to jealousy ? We are not ³⁷stronger than He, are we? 23 ³⁸All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things ³⁹edify. 24 Let no one ⁴⁰seek his own good, but that of his ⁱneighbor. 25 ⁴¹Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience' sake ; 26 ⁴²FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S, AND ^jALL IT CONTAINS. 27 If ⁴³one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ⁴⁴eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience' sake. 28 But ⁴⁵if anyone says to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for ⁴⁶why is my freedom judged by another's conscience ? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, ⁴⁷why am I slandered concerning that for which I ⁴⁸give thanks ? 31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or ⁴⁹whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 ⁵⁰Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to ⁵¹the church of God ; 33 just as I also ⁵²please all men in all things, ⁵³not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, ⁵⁴so that they may be saved.