A History Lesson from Israel

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert.

Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we should not be desirers of evil things, just as those also desired them, and not become idolaters, as some of them did, just as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play,”[a] nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day, nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested him, and were destroyed by snakes, 10 nor grumble, just as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to those people as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore, the one who thinks that he stands must watch out lest he fall. 13 Temptation has not come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, so that you may be able to endure it.

Warning Against Idolatry

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people; you judge what I am saying. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share from the one bread. 18 Consider Israel according to the flesh: are not the ones who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? 19 Therefore, what am I saying? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but that the things which they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers with demons. 21 You are not able to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You are not able to share the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Or are we attempting to provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than he is, are we?[b]

Freedom in Christ

23 All things are permitted, but not all things are profitable. All things are permitted, but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good[c] but the good of the other. 25 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions[d] for the sake of the conscience, 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”[e] 27 If any of the unbelievers invites you, and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, asking no questions[f] for the sake of the conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This is offered to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of that one who informed you and the conscience. 29 Now I am not speaking about your own conscience, but the conscience of the other person. For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered concerning that for which I give thanks?

31 Therefore, whether you eat or you drink or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. 32 Give no offense[g] both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all people in all things, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of the many, in order that they may be saved.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:7 A quotation from Exod 32:6
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:22 *The negative construction in Greek anticipates a negative answer here
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:24 Literally “the - of himself”; “good” is implied
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:25 Literally “questioning nothing”
  5. 1 Corinthians 10:26 A quotation from Ps 24:1, and an allusion to Ps 50:12; 89:11
  6. 1 Corinthians 10:27 Literally “questioning nothing”
  7. 1 Corinthians 10:32 Literally “be blameless”

10 For gar I do not ou want thelō you hymeis to be unaware agnoeō, brothers adelphos, that hoti · ho our hēmeis fathers patēr were eimi all pas under hypo the ho cloud nephelē and kai all pas passed dierchomai through dia the ho sea thalassa, and kai all pas were baptized baptizō into eis · ho Moses Mōysēs in en the ho cloud nephelē and kai in en the ho sea thalassa, and kai all pas ate esthiō the ho same autos spiritual pneumatikos food brōma, and kai all pas drank pinō the ho same autos spiritual pneumatikos drink poma; for gar they used to drink pinō from ek the spiritual pneumatikos rock petra that followed akoloutheō them, and de that ho rock petra was eimi · ho Christ Christos. But alla with en most polys of them autos God theos was not ou · ho pleased eudokeō, · ho for gar their corpses were scattered katastrōnnymi over en the ho desert erēmos.

Now de these houtos things took place ginomai as examples typos for us hēmeis, so eis that we hēmeis would eimi not crave epithumētēs evil kakos things , even as kathōs they kakeinos did epithumeō. So do ginomai not mēde become ginomai idolaters eidōlolatrēs, as kathōs some tis of them autos were. As hōsper it is written graphō, “ The ho people laos sat kathizō down to eat esthiō and kai drink pinō and kai rose up anistēmi to play paizō.” We must not mēde indulge in sexual immorality porneuō, as kathōs some tis of them autos did porneuō, and kai twenty-three eikosi thousand chilias fell piptō in a single heis day hēmera. And let us not mēde put Christ Christos to the test ekpeirazō, · ho as kathōs some tis of them autos did peirazō, and kai were destroyed apollymi by hypo · ho serpents ophis. 10 And do not mēde grumble gongyzō, as kathaper some tis of them autos did gongyzō, and kai were killed apollymi by hypo the ho destroyer olothreutēs. 11 Now de these houtos events happened symbainō to them ekeinos as examples typikōs, but de were written graphō down as warnings nouthesia for pros us hēmeis, on eis whom hos the ho end telos of the ho ages aiōn has come katantaō. 12 So hōste let the ho one who thinks dokeō he stands histēmi watch blepō out lest he fall piptō. 13 No ou trial peirasmos has overtaken lambanō you hymeis that is not ei distinctively human anthrōpinos; and de God theos is faithful pistos; · ho he hos will not ou let eaō you hymeis be tested peirazō beyond hyper what hos you can dynamai bear , but alla with syn the ho trial peirasmos will also kai provide poieō the ho way through ekbasis, so that ho you will be able dynamai to endure hypopherō it.

14 Therefore dioper, my egō dear friends agapētos, flee pheugō from apo the ho worship of idols eidōlolatria. 15 I speak legō as hōs to sensible people phronimos; judge krinō for yourselves hymeis what hos I am about to say phēmi. 16 The ho cup potērion of ho blessing eulogia that hos we bless eulogeō, is it eimi not ouchi a sharing koinōnia in the ho blood haima of ho Christ Christos? The ho bread artos that hos we break klaō, is it eimi not ouchi a sharing koinōnia in the ho body sōma of ho Christ Christos? 17 Because hoti there is one heis loaf artos, we eimi who ho are many polys are eimi one heis body sōma, · ho for gar we metechō all pas partake metechō of ek the ho one heis loaf artos. 18 Consider blepō · ho Israel Israēl according kata to the flesh sarx: are eimi not ou those ho who eat esthiō the ho sacrifices thusia sharers koinōnos in the ho altar thusiastērion? 19 So oun what tis am I implying phēmi? That hoti food offered to idols eidōlothutos is eimi anything tis, or ē that hoti an idol eidōlon is eimi anything tis? 20 No alla, what I am implying is that hoti the things that hos people sacrifice thuō, they sacrifice thuō to demons daimonion and kai not ou to God theos; and de I do not ou want thelō you hymeis to be ginomai sharers koinōnos with ho demons daimonion. 21 You cannot ou drink pinō the cup potērion of the Lord kyrios and kai the cup potērion of demons daimonion; you cannot ou partake metechō of the table trapeza of the Lord kyrios and kai the table trapeza of demons daimonion. 22 Or ē are we trying to provoke parazēloō the ho Lord kyrios to jealousy ? Are we eimi stronger ischuros than he autos?

23  All pas things are permissible,” but alla not ou all pas things are helpful sympherō. “ All pas things are permissible,” but alla not ou all pas things build up oikodomeō. 24 Let zēteō no one mēdeis seek zēteō · ho his heautou own advantage, but alla that ho of the ho other heteros. 25 Eat esthiō whatever pas · ho is sold pōleō in en the marketplace makellon, asking no mēdeis question anakrinō based dia on · ho conscience syneidēsis, 26 for gar the ho earth and kai its autos fullness plērōma belong to the ho Lord kyrios. · ho

27 If ei one tis of the ho unbelievers apistos invites kaleō you hymeis to a meal and kai you decide thelō to go poreuō, eat esthiō whatever pas · ho is set before paratithēmi you hymeis, asking no mēdeis question anakrinō based dia on · ho conscience syneidēsis. 28 However de, if ean someone tis should say legō to you hymeis, “ This houtos has been eimi offered hierothutos in sacrifice ,” then do not eat esthiō it, for the sake dia of the one ekeinos who ho told mēnyō you, and kai for the sake of · ho conscience syneidēsis 29 I mean legō the ho conscience syneidēsis · de of the ho other person heteros, not ouchi · ho your own heautou. Why hinati then gar should · ho my egō liberty eleutheria be determined krinō by hypo the conscience syneidēsis of another allos? 30 If ei I egō partake metechō with thankfulness charis, why tis am I blamed blasphēmeō because of that for hyper which hos I egō give thanks eucharisteō?

31 So oun, whether eite you eat esthiō or eite drink pinō, or eite whatever tis you do poieō, do poieō everything pas for eis the glory doxa of God theos. 32 Do ginomai not be ginomai a stumbling block aproskopos to either kai Jews Ioudaios or kai Greeks Hellēn, or kai to the ho church ekklēsia of ho God theos; 33 even as kathōs I kagō try to please areskō everyone pas in everything pas I do, not seeking zēteō · ho my emautou own advantage symphoros but alla that ho of the ho many polys, so that hina they may be saved sōzō.