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1 Corinthians 10
New International Version

Warnings From Israel’s History

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant(A) of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud(B) and that they all passed through the sea.(C) 2 They were all baptized into(D) Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food(E) 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock(F) that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.(G)

6 Now these things occurred as examples(H) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters,(I) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”[a](J) 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.(K) 9 We should not test Christ,[b](L) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.(M) 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did(N)—and were killed(O) by the destroying angel.(P)

11 These things happened to them as examples(Q) and were written down as warnings for us,(R) on whom the culmination of the ages has come.(S) 12 So, if you think you are standing firm,(T) be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;(U) he will not let you be tempted[d] beyond what you can bear.(V) But when you are tempted,[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper

14 Therefore, my dear friends,(W) flee from idolatry.(X) 15 I speak to sensible people; 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(Y) a participation in the body of Christ?(Z) 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,(AA) for we all share the one loaf.

18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices(AB) participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?(AC) 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,(AD) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants 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.(AE) 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?(AF) Are we stronger than he?(AG)

The Believer’s Freedom

23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.(AH) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.(AI)

25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,(AJ) 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[f](AK)

27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you(AL) without raising questions of conscience. 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.(AM) 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom(AN) being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?(AO)

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.(AP) 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble,(AQ) whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God(AR)— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way.(AS) For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,(AT) so that they may be saved.(AU)

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
  5. 1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
  6. 1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1
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1 Corinthians 10
The Message

10 1-5 Remember our history, friends, and be warned. All our ancestors were led by the providential Cloud and taken miraculously through the Sea. They went through the waters, in a baptism like ours, as Moses led them from enslaving death to salvation life. They all ate and drank identical food and drink, meals provided daily by God. They drank from the Rock, God’s fountain for them that stayed with them wherever they were. And the Rock was Christ. But just experiencing God’s wonder and grace didn’t seem to mean much—most of them were defeated by temptation during the hard times in the desert, and God was not pleased.

6-10 The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as they did. And we must not turn our religion into a circus as they did—“First the people partied, then they threw a dance.” We must not be sexually promiscuous—they paid for that, remember, with 23,000 deaths in one day! We must never try to get Christ to serve us instead of us serving him; they tried it, and God launched an epidemic of poisonous snakes. We must be careful not to stir up discontent; discontent destroyed them.

11-12 These are all warning markers—danger!—in our history books, written down so that we don’t repeat their mistakes. Our positions in the story are parallel—they at the beginning, we at the end—and we are just as capable of messing it up as they were. Don’t be so naive and self-confident. You’re not exempt. You could fall flat on your face as easily as anyone else. Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.

13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

14 So, my very dear friends, when you see people reducing God to something they can use or control, get out of their company as fast as you can.

15-18 I assume I’m addressing believers now who are mature. Draw your own conclusions: When we drink the cup of blessing, aren’t we taking into ourselves the blood, the very life, of Christ? And isn’t it the same with the loaf of bread we break and eat? Don’t we take into ourselves the body, the very life, of Christ? Because there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes one-ness—Christ doesn’t become fragmented in us. Rather, we become unified in him. We don’t reduce Christ to what we are; he raises us to what he is. That’s basically what happened even in old Israel—those who ate the sacrifices offered on God’s altar entered into God’s action at the altar.

19-22 Do you see the difference? Sacrifices offered to idols are offered to nothing, for what’s the idol but a nothing? Or worse than nothing, a minus, a demon! I don’t want you to become part of something that reduces you to less than yourself. And you can’t have it both ways, banqueting with the Master one day and slumming with demons the next. Besides, the Master won’t put up with it. He wants us—all or nothing. Do you think you can get off with anything less?

23-24 Looking at it one way, you could say, “Anything goes. Because of God’s immense generosity and grace, we don’t have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster.” But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well.

25-28 With that as a base to work from, common sense can take you the rest of the way. Eat anything sold at the butcher shop, for instance; you don’t have to run an “idolatry test” on every item. “The earth,” after all, “is God’s, and everything in it.” That “everything” certainly includes the leg of lamb in the butcher shop. If a nonbeliever invites you to dinner and you feel like going, go ahead and enjoy yourself; eat everything placed before you. It would be both bad manners and bad spirituality to cross-examine your host on the ethical purity of each course as it is served. On the other hand, if he goes out of his way to tell you that this or that was sacrificed to god or goddess so-and-so, you should pass. Even though you may be indifferent as to where it came from, he isn’t, and you don’t want to send mixed messages to him about who you are worshiping.

29-30 But, except for these special cases, I’m not going to walk around on eggshells worrying about what small-minded people might say; I’m going to stride free and easy, knowing what our large-minded Master has already said. If I eat what is served to me, grateful to God for what is on the table, how can I worry about what someone will say? I thanked God for it and he blessed it!

31-33 So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory. At the same time, don’t be callous in your exercise of freedom, thoughtlessly stepping on the toes of those who aren’t as free as you are. I try my best to be considerate of everyone’s feelings in all these matters; I hope you will be, too.

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1 Corinthians 10
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

10 For I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.

2 And all in Moses were baptized, in the cloud, and in the sea:

3 And did all eat the same spiritual food,

4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; (and they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.)

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the desert.

6 Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things as they also coveted.

7 Neither become ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us tempt Christ: as some of them tempted, and perished by the serpents.

10 Neither do you murmur: as some of them murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened to them in figure: and they are written for our correction, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall.

13 Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.

14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.

15 I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.

16 The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?

17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.

18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar?

19 What then? Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is any thing? Or, that the idol is any thing?

20 But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.

21 You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.

22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.

23 All things are lawful for me, but all things do not edify.

24 Let no man seek his own, but that which is another's.

25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, eat; asking no question for conscience' sake.

26 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

27 If any of them that believe not, invite you, and you will be willing to go; eat of any thing that is set before you, asking no question for conscience' sake.

28 But if any man say: This has been sacrificed to idols, do not eat of it for his sake that told it, and for conscience' sake.

29 Conscience, I say, not thy own, but the other's. For why is my liberty judged by another man's conscience?

30 If I partake with thanksgiving, why am I evil spoken of, for that for which I give thanks?

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Be without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:

33 As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that may be saved.

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1 Corinthians 10
Expanded Bible

Warnings from Israel’s Past

10 Brothers and sisters, I ·want you to know [L don’t want you to be ignorant of] what happened to our ancestors. They were all under the cloud [C the Israelites were guided in the wilderness by a cloud, a symbol of God’s presence; Ex. 13:21; Num. 9:15–23] and all went through the sea [C the miraculous passage through the Red Sea; Ex. 14:22]. 2 They were all baptized ·as followers of [L into] Moses in the cloud and in the sea [C just as believers are baptized “into Christ” (Rom. 6:3), so the Israelites were “baptized” into Moses, their leader-redeemer]. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food [C the manna God provided from heaven; Ex. 16:15, 35], 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink [C the water miraculously provided from a rock; Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:7–13]. They drank from that spiritual rock that followed them [C in Jewish tradition, the rock travelled with the Israelites, providing continual refreshment], and that rock was Christ [C a type of Christ, who provides spiritual sustenance]. 5 But God was not pleased with most of them, so they ·died [or were struck down; or (their bodies) were scattered] in the desert [C as judgment for unbelief and refusing to enter the Promised Land; Num. 13—14].

6 And these things happened as examples for us, to stop us from ·wanting [desiring; craving] evil things as those people did. 7 Do not worship idols, as some of them did. Just as it is written in the Scriptures: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and then they got up and ·sinned sexually [L played; C a euphemism for immoral revelry; Ex. 32:6].” 8 We must not take part in sexual sins, as some of them did. In one day twenty-three thousand of them ·died because of their sins [L fell; Num 25:1–9]. 9 We must not test Christ as some of them did; they were ·killed [destroyed] by snakes. 10 Do not ·complain [grumble] as some of them did; they were killed by the ·angel that destroys [L destroyer; Num. 16:41–50; Ex. 12:23].

11 The things that happened to those people are examples. They were written down to ·teach [instruct; warn] us ·who live in the final days of this age [L for whom the end/climax/culmination of the ages has come]. 12 [L So; Therefore] If you think you are ·strong [L standing (firm)], you should be careful not to fall. 13 The only ·temptation [or trials] that has come to you is ·that which everyone has [L (common to) human life]. But ·you can trust God [God is faithful], who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to ·stand [endure] it.

14 So, my ·dear friends [beloved], ·run away from [flee; stay away from] the worship of idols. 15 I am speaking to you as to ·reasonable [sensible; discerning] people; ·judge [consider] for yourselves what I say. 16 We give thanks for the cup of blessing [C used in the Lord’s Supper], ·which is [L is this not…?] a ·sharing [participation; fellowship] in the blood of Christ. And the bread that we break ·is [L is it not…?] a ·sharing [participation; fellowship] in the body of Christ. 17 Because there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body, because we all share that one loaf.

18 Think about ·the Israelites [L Israel according to the flesh]: Do not those who eat the sacrifices ·share [participate] in the altar [C by eating the sacrificial food, priests in the Jerusalem temple participate in the worship of God]? 19 ·I do not mean [L What, then, am I saying…?] that the food sacrificed to an idol is important or that an idol is anything at all. 20 But I say that what is sacrificed to idols is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to ·share anything [be participants; share fellowship] with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons also. You cannot ·share in [partake of] the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Are we trying to make the Lord jealous? We are not stronger than he is, are we?

How to Use Christian Freedom

23 “·We are allowed to do all things [L All things are lawful/permissible],” but not all things are ·good for us to do [profitable; beneficial]. “·We are allowed to do all things [L All things are lawful/permissible],” but not all things ·help others grow stronger [L build up; C the quotations were probably slogans the Corinthians used; 6:12, 13; 7:1; 8:1, 4]. 24 Do not look out only for yourselves. Look out for the good of others.

25 Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Do not ask questions ·about it [L for conscience’s sake]. 26 You may eat it, “because the earth belongs to the Lord, and ·everything in it [its fullness/abundance/bounty; Ps. 24:1; 50:12; 89:11].”

27 Those who are not believers may invite you to eat with them. If you want to go, eat anything that is put before you. Do not ask questions ·about it [L for conscience’s sake]. 28 But if anyone says to you, “That food was offered to idols,” do not eat it. Do not eat it because of that person who told you and ·because eating it might be thought to be wrong [L for conscience’s sake]. 29 I don’t mean ·you think it is wrong [your conscience], but the ·other person might [the concience of the other person]. ·But why, you ask, [or For why] should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I eat the meal with thankfulness, why am I criticized because of something for which I thank God?

31 ·The answer is [or Therefore; In summary], if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Never do anything that might hurt others—Jews, Greeks, or God’s church— 33 just as I, also, try to please everybody in every way. I am not trying to do what is ·good [advantageous] for me but what is ·good [advantageous] for most people so they can be saved.

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