Temptation and God’s Faithfulness

10 For ^(A)I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all ^(B)under the cloud and all ^(C)passed through the sea; ² and all were ^(D)baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ³ and all ^(E)ate the same spiritual food; ⁴ and all ^(F)drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was ^[a]Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased. For ^(G)they were ^[b]struck down in the wilderness. ⁶ Now these things happened as ^(H)examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as ^(I)they also craved.

⁷ Do not be ^(J)idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “^(K)The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to ^(L)play.” ⁸ Nor let us act in sexual immorality, as ^(M)some of them ^[c]did, and ^(N)twenty-three thousand fell in one day. ⁹ Nor let us put Christ to the test, as ^(O)some of them ^[d]did, and were destroyed by the serpents. ¹⁰ Nor ^(P)grumble, as some of them ^[e]did, and ^(Q)were destroyed by the ^(R)destroyer. ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as an ^(S)example, and ^(T)they were written for our instruction, upon whom ^(U)the ends of the ages have arrived. ¹² Therefore let him who ^(V)thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man, but ^(W)God is faithful, who will not allow you to be ^(X)tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

¹⁴ Therefore, my ^(Y)beloved, flee from ^(Z)idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to prudent people. You judge what I say. ¹⁶ Is not the ^(AA)cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the ^[f](AB)bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Since there is one ^[g]bread, we ^(AC)who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one ^[h]bread. ¹⁸ Look at ^[i]the nation ^(AD)Israel. Are not those who ^(AE)eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or ^(AF)that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they ^(AG)sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons. ^21 (AH)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and ^(AI)the table of demons. ²² Or do we ^(AJ)provoke the ^[j]Lord to jealousy? Are we ^(AK)stronger than He?

^23 (AL)All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things ^(AM)build up. ²⁴ Let no one ^(AN)seek his own good, but that of the other person. ^25 (AO)Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without asking questions for conscience’ sake. ^26 (AP)For the earth is the ^[k]Lord’s, as well as its fullness. ²⁷ If ^(AQ)one of the unbelievers invites you and you want to go, ^(AR)eat anything that is set before you without asking questions for conscience’ sake. ²⁸ But ^(AS)if anyone says to you, “This is meat consecrated to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience’ sake. ²⁹ I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For ^(AT)why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with gratefulness, ^(AU)why am I slandered concerning that for which I ^(AV)give thanks?

³¹ Whether, then, you eat or drink or ^(AW)whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ^32 (AX)Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to ^(AY)the church of God; ³³ just as I also ^(AZ)please all men in all things, ^(BA)not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, ^(BB)so that they may be saved.