New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,
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For it is my desire, my brothers, that you may keep in mind how all our fathers were under the cloud, and they all went through the sea;
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
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And they all had baptism from Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and all ate the same spiritual food,
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And they all took the same holy food;
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
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And the same holy drink: for they all took of the water from the holy rock which came after them: and the rock was Christ.
5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.
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But with most of them God was not pleased: for they came to their end in the waste land.
6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did.
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Now these things were for an example to us, so that our hearts might not go after evil things, as they did.
7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play."
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Then do not go after false gods, as some of them did; as it is said in the holy Writings, After resting and feasting, the people got up to take their pleasure.
8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.
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Again, let us not give way to the desires of the flesh, as some of them did, of whom twenty-three thousand came to their end in one day.
9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents.
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And let us not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did, and came to their death by snakes.
10 And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
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And do not say evil things against the Lord, as some of them did, and destruction overtook them.
11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
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Now these things were done as an example; and were put down in writing for our teaching, on whom the last days have come.
12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.
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So let him who seems to himself to be safe go in fear of a fall.
13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.
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You have been put to no test but such as is common to man: and God is true, who will not let any test come on you which you are not able to undergo; but he will make with the test a way out of it, so that you may be able to go through it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.
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For this cause, my dear brothers, give no worship to false gods.
15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
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What I am saying is for wise men, do you be the judges of it.
16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?
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The cup of blessing which we take, does it not give us a part in the blood of Christ? and is not the broken bread a taking part in the body of Christ?
17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
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Because we, being a number of persons, are one bread, we are one body: for we all take part in the one bread.
18 Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?
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See Israel after the flesh: do not those who take as food the offerings of the altar take a part in the altar?
19 What do I imply then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?
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Do I say, then, that what is offered to images is anything, or that the image is anything?
20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
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What I say is that the things offered by the Gentiles are offered to evil spirits and not to God; and it is not my desire for you to have any part with evil spirits.
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.
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It is not possible for you, at the same time, to take the cup of the Lord and the cup of evil spirits; you may not take part in the table of the Lord and the table of evil spirits.
22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
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Or may we be the cause of envy to the Lord? are we stronger than he?
23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are beneficial. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up.
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We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good.
24 Do not seek your own advantage, but that of the other.
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Let a man give attention not only to what is good for himself, but equally to his neighbour's good.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience,
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Whatever meat may be had at the public market, take as food without question of right or wrong;
26 for "the earth and its fullness are the Lord's."
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For the earth is the Lord's and all things in it.
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
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If a Gentile makes a feast for you, and you are pleased to go as a guest, take whatever is put before you, without question of right or wrong.
28 But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—
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But if anyone says to you, This food has been used as an offering, do not take it, on account of him who said it, and on account of his sense of right and wrong:
29 I mean the other's conscience, not your own. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else's conscience?
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Right and wrong, I say, not for you, but for the other man; for the fact that I am free is not dependent on another man's sense of right or wrong.
30 If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
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But if I give praise to God for the food which I take, let no man say evil of me for that reason.
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
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So then, if it is a question of food or drink, or any other thing, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
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Give no cause of trouble to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God.
33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, so that they may be saved.
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Even as I give way to all men in all things, not looking for profit for myself, but for the good of others, that they may get salvation.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.