Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 I want you to remember, my friends, what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the protection of the cloud, and all passed safely through the Red Sea.
1
I want you to know, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized as followers of Moses.
2
and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 All ate the same spiritual bread
3
and all ate the same supernatural food
4 and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself.
4
and all drank the same supernatural drink. For they drank from the supernatural Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
5 But even then God was not pleased with most of them, and so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.
5
Nevertheless with most of them God was not pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did,
6
Now these things are warnings for us, not to desire evil as they did.
7 nor to worship idols, as some of them did. As the scripture says, "The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex."
7
Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to dance."
8 We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were - and in one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead.
8
We must not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
9 We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did - and they were killed by snakes.
9
We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents;
10 We must not complain, as some of them did - and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.
10
nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
11 All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.
11
Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come.
12 If you think you are standing firm you had better be careful that you do not fall.
12
Therefore let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
13
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
14 So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols.
14
Therefore, my beloved, shun the worship of idols.
15 I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
15
I speak as to sensible men; judge for yourselves what I say.
16 The cup we use in the Lord's Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ.
16
The 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?
17 Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.
17
Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
18 Consider the people of Israel; those who eat what is offered in sacrifice share in the altar's service to God.
18
Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?
19 Do I imply, then, that an idol or the food offered to it really amounts to anything?
19
What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20 No! What I am saying is that what is sacrificed on pagan altars is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be partners with demons.
20
No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
21 You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons.
21
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
22 Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?
22
Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23 "We are allowed to do anything," so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. "We are allowed to do anything" - but not everything is helpful.
23
"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.
24 None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.
24
Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
25 You are free to eat anything sold in the meat market, without asking any questions because of your conscience.
25
Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
26 For, as the scripture says, "The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord."
26
For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience.
27
If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
28 But if someone tells you, "This food was offered to idols," then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake -
28
(But if some one says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then out of consideration for the man who informed you, and for conscience' sake--
29 that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience. "Well, then," someone asks, "why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience?
29
I mean his conscience, not yours--do not eat it.) For why should my liberty be determined by another man's scruples?
30 If I thank God for my food, why should anyone criticize me about food for which I give thanks?"
30
If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31 Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory.
31
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Live in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God.
32
Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
33 Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.
33
just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.