Warning Against Idolatry

10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[a] that our fathers were all under (A)the cloud, and all (B)passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and (C)all ate the same (D)spiritual food, and (E)all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for (F)they were overthrown[b] in the wilderness.

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as (G)they did. (H)Do not be idolaters (I)as some of them were; as it is written, (J)“The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” (K)We must not indulge in sexual immorality (L)as some of them did, and (M)twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ[c] to the test, (N)as some of them did and (O)were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, (P)as some of them did and (Q)were destroyed by (R)the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but (S)they were written down for our instruction, (T)on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore (U)let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. (V)God is faithful, and (W)he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

14 Therefore, my beloved, (X)flee from idolatry. 15 I speak (Y)as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 (Z)The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? (AA)The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are (AB)one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider (AC)the people of Israel:[d] (AD)are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that (AE)an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice (AF)they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 (AG)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and (AH)the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and (AI)the table of demons. 22 (AJ)Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? (AK)Are we stronger than he?

Do All to the Glory of God

23 (AL)“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 (AM)Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 (AN)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For (AO)“the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, (AP)eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean (AQ)your conscience, but his. For (AR)why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that (AS)for which I give thanks?

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or (AT)whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 (AU)Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to (AV)the church of God, 33 just as (AW)I try to please everyone in everything I do, (AX)not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:1 Or brothers and sisters
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:5 Or were laid low
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts the Lord
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:18 Greek Consider Israel according to the flesh

10 I do not want you to be without da’as, Achim b’Moshiach, that Avoteinu all were under the anan (cloud, SHEMOT 13:21-22) and passed through the sea [SHEMOT 14:22-25],

And all into Moshe Rabbenu were given tevilah in the anan (cloud) and in the sea,

And all of the same spiritual okhel (food) ate [SHEMOT 16:4,35; DEVARIM 8:3; TEHILLIM 78:24-29],

And all of the same spiritual drink drank, for they were drinking from a spiritual TZUR following them [SHEMOT 17:6; BAMIDBAR 20:11; TEHILLIM 78:15; 105:41], and that TZUR was Moshiach.

But Hashem was not pleased with most of them, for they were strewn about in the desert, VAYISHCHATEM BAMIDBAR ("then He slaughtered them in the desert" [BAMIDBAR 14:16, 23,29-30; TEHILLIM 78:31).

Now these things occurred as moftim (examples) for us, in order that we would not crave what is ra’ah as they did. [BAMIDBAR 11:4,34; TEHILLIM 106:14]

Neither should you become ovdei elilim (idolaters), as some of them did, as it has been written, "And the people sat to eat and to drink and they got up to revel” SHEMOT 32:6.

Neither should we commit zenut as some of them committed zenut and fell in one day twenty-three thousand [BAMIDBAR 25:1,9]. [T.N. if Rav Sha’ul is not giving the number that died in one day, a very famous and devastating twenty-four hour period, (with BAMIDBAR 25:4 mentioning other executions and the subsequent total being 24,000 [Bamidbar 24:9]), then Rav Sha’ul is referring to those who died in Shemot 32:35, quoting as he does Shemot 32:6 in 1C 10:7]

Neither let us tempt Moshiach, as some of them put Moshiach to the test, and by nechashim (serpents) were being destroyed [Ex 17:2; Num 21:5-6; Ps 78:18; 95:9; 106:4; ].

10 Neither should we murmur and grumble even as some of them VAYILONU ("and they murmured’ SHEMOT 15:24; 16:2; 17:3; BAMIDBAR 14:2,29; 16:41) and they were destroyed by the destroyer (Num 14:2,36; 16:41-49; 17:5,10; Ex 12:23 Ps 106:25-27).

11 Now, these things happened to those ones as moftim (examples), but it was written for our admonition, to whom the Kitzei HaOlamim has come.

12 So then the one that presupposes that he stands, let him take care lest he fall.

13 No nissayon (temptation) has overtaken you, except that which is common to Bnei Adam, but, Hashem is ne’eman (faithful) (DEVARIM 7:9), who will not let you to be brought into nissayon beyond what you are able, but will make with the nissayon also the derech (Tzaddikim TEHILLIM 1:6) as a way out for you to be able to endure.

14 Therefore, my chaverim, flee from avodah zarah.

15 I speak as to thinking men; you judge what I say.

16 The Kos HaBracha (Cup of Blessing) over which we say the Bracha, is it not a [Mizbe’ach] sharing and deveykus participation in the Korban Pesach death and kapporah of Moshiach? The matzoh which we break, is this not a sharing and a deveykus participation in the Guf HaMoshiach?

17 Because the matzoh is echad, we, many as we are, are one body, one new humanity, for we all partake of the matzoh echad.

18 Observe Yisroel according to the basar. Are not the ones eating the korbanot (sacrifices) partakers of the Mizbe’ach (altar VAYIKRA 7:6, 14, 15)?

19 What then am I saying? That a sacrifice to an elil (idol) is anything or that an idol is anything?

20 No, the things which they sacrifice, YIZB’CHU LASHEDIM LO ELOHIM ("They sacrificed to demons which were not G-d" DEVARIM 32:17; TEHILLIM 106:37). Now I do not want you to become sharers with the shedim (demons). [VAYIKRA 17:7; DEVARIM 32:17; TEHILLIM 106:37]

21 You are not able to drink from the Kos of Hashem and also from the Kos HaShedim; you are not able to partake of the shulchan of Hashem and the shulchan of shedim (demons).

22 Or is it that you would move Hashem to kinah (jealousy) [DEVARIM 32:21]? We don’t think we are stronger than He, do we? [DEVARIM 32:16; MELACHIM ALEF 14:22; TEHILLIM 78:58; YIRMEYAH 44:8; KOHELET 6:10; YESHAYAH 45:9]

23 “All things are lawful”? But not all things are beneficial; “All things are lawful”? But not all things edify [6:12].

24 Let no one seek his own benefit but the benefit of the other.

25 Everything being sold in a meat market eat without raising qualms of matzpun (conscience).

26 For LAHASHEM HA’ARETZ UMELOAH ("The earth is the L-rd’s and the fullness thereof" TEHILLIM 24:1; 50:12; 89:11; SHEMOT 9:29; 19:5; IYOV 41:11; TEHILLIM 50:12).

27 If anyone of the Apikorosim invites you and you want to go, eat everything being set before you without raising qualms of matzpun (conscience).

28 But if anyone should say to you, ‘Zeh nizbach l’elil!’ (‘This is sacrificed to an idol!’), do not eat out of consideration for that man who informed you and because of matzpun (conscience).

29 But I speak not about your matzpun but about the matzpun of the other man, for why is my cherut (freedom) brought into mishpat (judgment) by another’s matzpun (conscience)?

30 If I partake with Birkat Hamazon (grace after meals), why am I blamed for what I give todah (thanks) for?

31 Whether, therefore, you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things to the kavod (glory) of Hashem. [ZECHARYAH 14:21]

32 Be without michshol both to Yehudim and to Yevanim and to the Kehillah of Hashem,

33 even as I also please Bnei Adam in all things, not seeking my own advantage but that of the many, that they may be brought to Yeshu’at Eloheinu.