1 Corinthians
Chapter 10
1 My friends, I want you to know that all our ancestors were under the cloud and all went through the sea.
2 They were all baptized as followers of Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
3 Everyone ate the same spiritual food.
4 Everyone drank the same spiritual drink because they drank from the spiritual rock that went with them, and that rock was Christ.
5 God was not happy with many of them because they were defeated in the wilderness.
6 These things happened to them as examples for us, so we wouldn’t desire bad things like they did.
7 Do not worship idols like some of them did; as the Scripture says, “The people ate and drank, then got up to have fun.”
8 Let’s not have sex outside of marriage, like some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand died.
9 Let’s not test Christ, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.
10 Do not complain as some of them did and were killed by the destroyer.
11 All these things happened to them as examples and are written to warn us, who are living in the last days.
12 So, if someone thinks they are standing firm, they should be careful not to fall.
13 No temptation has come to you that isn’t normal for people. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted more than you can handle. He will also give you a way out so you can endure it.
14 So, my dear friends, run away from worshipping idols.
15 I talk to you as if you are wise; think about what I’m saying.
16 The cup we give thanks for, isn’t it sharing in Christ’s blood? The bread we break, isn’t it sharing in Christ’s body?
17 We are many, but we are one loaf of bread and one body, because we all share that one loaf.
18 Look at the people of Israel: aren’t those who eat the sacrifices sharing in the altar?
19 What am I saying, then? That an idol is worth anything, or that food offered to idols means anything?
20 I say that what non-Jews sacrifice, they offer to evil spirits, not to God, and I don’t want you to be associated with evil spirits.
21 You cannot drink from God’s cup and from the cup of demons; you cannot share in God’s table and the table of demons.
22 Are we making God jealous? Are we stronger than God?
23 I can do anything, but not everything is good for me: I can do anything, but not everything is helpful to others.
24 Don’t just look out for your own interests, but look out for the interests of others too.
25 Eat anything sold in the market, without worrying about it for the sake of your conscience.
26 The Earth belongs to God, and everything in it.
27 If someone who doesn’t believe invites you to a dinner and you want to go, eat whatever they serve you without asking questions, to keep a clear conscience.
28 If someone tells you, “This food was sacrificed to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the person who mentioned it and for conscience. Because the world belongs to God, and everything in it.
29 I mean your conscience should consider not just yourself, but others too: for why should my freedom be limited by someone else’s conscience?
30 If I have received a gift from God and am thankful for it, why do people criticize me for it?
31 No matter what you eat, drink, or do, do everything to honor God.
32 Do not offend anyone, not Jews, not non-Jews, nor God’s church.
33 I try to please everyone in every way, not looking for my own benefit, but for the good of many so that they may be saved.