New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 For 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.
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Brothers and sisters, here is what I want you to know about our people who lived long ago. They were all led by the cloud. They all walked through the Red Sea.
2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
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They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 They all ate the same spiritual food
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They all ate the same supernatural food.
4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
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They all drank the same supernatural water. They drank from the supernatural rock that went with them. That rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
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But God was not pleased with most of them. Their bodies were scattered all over the desert.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
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Now those things happened as examples for us. They are supposed to keep us from longing for evil things, as the people of Israel did.
7 Do 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.”
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So don't worship statues of gods, as some of them did. It is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance wildly in front of their god."(Exodus 32:6)
8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
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We should not commit sexual sins, as some of them did. In one day 23,000 of them died.
9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.
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We should not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did. They were killed by snakes.
10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
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Don't tell your leaders how unhappy you are with them. That's what some of the people of Israel did. And they were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.
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Those things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who are living at the time when God's work is being completed.
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
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So be careful. When you think you are standing firm, you might fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
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You are tempted in the same way all other human beings are. God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted any more than you can take. But when you are tempted, God will give you a way out so that you can stand up under it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
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My dear friends, run away from statues of gods. Don't worship them.
15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
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I'm talking to people who are reasonable. Judge for yourselves what I say.
16 Is 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?
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When we give thanks for the cup at the Lord's Supper, aren't we sharing in the blood of Christ? When we break the bread, aren't we sharing in the body of Christ?
17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.
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Just as there is one loaf, so we who are many are one body. We all eat from the one loaf.
18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
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Think about the people of Israel. Don't those who eat the offerings share in the altar?
19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
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Do I mean that what is offered to a statue of a god is anything? Do I mean that a statue of a god is anything?
20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.
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No! But what is offered by those who worship statues of gods is really offered to demons. It is not offered to God. I don't want you to be sharing with demons.
21 You 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.
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You can't drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too. You can't have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.
22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
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Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is?
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.
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You say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything is good for us. Again you say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything builds us up.
24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
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We should not look out for our own interests. Instead, we should look out for the interests of others.
25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
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Eat anything that is sold in the meat market. Don't ask if it's right or wrong.
26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
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Scripture says, "The earth belongs to the Lord. And so does everything in it."(Psalm 24:1)
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
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Suppose an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go. Then eat anything that is put in front of you. Don't ask if it's right or wrong.
28 But 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.
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But suppose someone says to you, "This food has been offered to a statue of a god." Then don't eat it. Keep in mind the good of the one who told you. And don't eat because of a sense of what is right and wrong.
29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?
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I'm talking about the other person's sense of what is right and wrong, not yours. Why should my freedom be judged by what someone else thinks?
30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
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Suppose I give thanks when I eat. Then why should I be blamed for eating food I thank God for?
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
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So eat and drink and do everything else for the glory of God.
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—
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Don't do anything that causes another person to trip and fall. It doesn't matter if that person is a Jew or a Greek or a member of God's church.
33 even 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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Follow my example. I try to please everyone in every way. I'm not looking out for what is good for me. I'm looking out for the interests of others. I do it so that they might be saved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.