1 Corinthians 10
Good News Translation
Warnings against Idols
10 (A)I want you to remember, my friends, what happened to our ancestors who followed Moses. They were all under the protection of the cloud, and all passed safely through the Red Sea. 2 In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized as followers of Moses. 3 (B)All ate the same spiritual bread 4 (C)and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the spiritual rock that went with them; and that rock was Christ himself. 5 (D)But even then God was not pleased with most of them, and so their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 (E)Now, all of this is an example for us, to warn us not to desire evil things, as they did, 7 (F)nor to worship idols, as some of them did. As the scripture says, “The people sat down to a feast which turned into an orgy of drinking and sex.” 8 (G)We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them fell dead. 9 (H)We must not put the Lord[a] to the test, as some of them did—and they were killed by snakes. 10 (I)We must not complain, as some of them did—and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.
11 All these things happened to them as examples for others, and they were written down as a warning for us. For we live at a time when the end is about to come.
12 If you think you are standing firm you had better be careful that you do not fall. 13 (J)Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.
14 So then, my dear friends, keep away from the worship of idols. 15 I speak to you as sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 (K)The cup we use in the Lord's Supper and for which we give thanks to God: when we drink from it, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. And the bread we break: when we eat it, we are sharing in the body of Christ. 17 Because there is the one loaf of bread, all of us, though many, are one body, for we all share the same loaf.
18 (L)Consider the people of Israel; those who eat what is offered in sacrifice share in the altar's service to God. 19 Do I imply, then, that an idol or the food offered to it really amounts to anything? 20 (M)No! What I am saying is that what is sacrificed on pagan altars is offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the Lord's cup and also from the cup of demons; you cannot eat at the Lord's table and also at the table of demons. 22 (N)Or do we want to make the Lord jealous? Do we think that we are stronger than he?
23 (O)“We are allowed to do anything,” so they say. That is true, but not everything is good. “We are allowed to do anything”—but not everything is helpful. 24 None of you should be looking out for your own interests, but for the interests of others.
25 You are free to eat anything sold in the meat market, without asking any questions because of your conscience. 26 (P)For, as the scripture says, “The earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you decide to go, eat what is set before you, without asking any questions because of your conscience. 28 But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat that food, for the sake of the one who told you and for conscience' sake— 29 that is, not your own conscience, but the other person's conscience.
“Well, then,” someone asks, “why should my freedom to act be limited by another person's conscience? 30 If I thank God for my food, why should anyone criticize me about food for which I give thanks?”
31 Well, whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for God's glory. 32 Live in such a way as to cause no trouble either to Jews or Gentiles or to the church of God. 33 Just do as I do; I try to please everyone in all that I do, not thinking of my own good, but of the good of all, so that they might be saved.
Notas al pie
- 1 Corinthians 10:9 the Lord; some manuscripts have Christ.
1 Corinthians 10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Warnings from Israel’s History
10 I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,(A) 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food,(B) 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.(C) 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.(D)
6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did.(E) 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did, as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.”(F) 8 We must not engage in sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.(G) 9 We must not put Christ[a] to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents.(H) 10 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.(I) 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.(J) 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.(K)
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from the worship of idols.(L) 15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.(M) 18 Consider the people of Israel:[b] Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?(N) 19 What do I imply, then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what they[c] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.(O) 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.(P) 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?(Q)
Do All to the Glory of God
23 “All things are permitted,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted,” but not all things build up. 24 Do not seek your own advantage but that of the other.(R) 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, 26 for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.”(S) 27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, 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, out of consideration for the one who informed you and for the sake of conscience— 29 I mean the other’s conscience, not your own. For why should my freedom be subject to the judgment of someone else’s conscience?(T) 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks?(U)
31 So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.(V) 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,(W) 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage but that of many, so that they may be saved.(X)
1 Corinthians 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 10
Warning Against Overconfidence. 1 [a]I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,(A) 2 and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.(B) 3 All ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them,[b] and the rock was the Christ.(C) 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert.(D)
6 [c]These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did.(E) 7 And do not become idolaters, as some of them did, as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.”(F) 8 Let us not indulge in immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell within a single day.(G) 9 Let us not test Christ[d] as some of them did, and suffered death by serpents.(H) 10 Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.(I) 11 These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come.[e] 12 Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall.[f] 13 No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength; but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.(J)
Warning Against Idolatry.[g] 14 Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry.(K) 15 I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?(L) 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.(M)
18 Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?(N) 19 So what am I saying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I mean that what they sacrifice, [they sacrifice] to demons,[h] not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons.(O) 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.(P) 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than he?(Q)
Seek the Good of Others.[i] 23 “Everything is lawful,” but not everything is beneficial.[j] “Everything is lawful,” but not everything builds up.(R) 24 No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor.(S) 25 [k]Eat anything sold in the market, without raising questions on grounds of conscience, 26 for “the earth and its fullness are the Lord’s.”(T) 27 If an unbeliever invites you and you want to go, eat whatever is placed before you, without raising questions on grounds of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This was offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it on account of the one who called attention to it and on account of conscience; 29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other’s. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake thankfully, why am I reviled for that over which I give thanks?(U)
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 [l]Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved.(V)
Notas al pie
- 10:1–5 Paul embarks unexpectedly upon a panoramic survey of the events of the Exodus period. The privileges of Israel in the wilderness are described in terms that apply strictly only to the realities of the new covenant (“baptism,” “spiritual food and drink”); interpreted in this way they point forward to the Christian experience (1 Cor 10:1–4). But those privileges did not guarantee God’s permanent pleasure (1 Cor 10:5).
- 10:4 A spiritual rock that followed them: the Torah speaks only about a rock from which water issued, but rabbinic legend amplified this into a spring that followed the Israelites throughout their migration. Paul uses this legend as a literary type: he makes the rock itself accompany the Israelites, and he gives it a spiritual sense. The rock was the Christ: in the Old Testament, Yahweh is the Rock of his people (cf. Dt 32, Moses’ song to Yahweh the Rock). Paul now applies this image to the Christ, the source of the living water, the true Rock that accompanied Israel, guiding their experiences in the desert.
- 10:6–13 This section explicitates the typological value of these Old Testament events: the desert experiences of the Israelites are examples, meant as warnings, to deter us from similar sins (idolatry, immorality, etc.) and from a similar fate.
- 10:9 Christ: to avoid Paul’s concept of Christ present in the wilderness events, some manuscripts read “the Lord.”
- 10:11 Upon whom the end of the ages has come: it is our period in time toward which past ages have been moving and in which they arrive at their goal.
- 10:12–13 Take care not to fall: the point of the whole comparison with Israel is to caution against overconfidence, a sense of complete security (1 Cor 10:12). This warning is immediately balanced by a reassurance, based, however, on God (1 Cor 10:13).
- 10:14–22 The warning against idolatry from 1 Cor 10:7 is now repeated (1 Cor 10:14) and explained in terms of the effect of sacrifices: all sacrifices, Christian (1 Cor 10:16–17), Jewish (1 Cor 10:18), or pagan (1 Cor 10:20), establish communion. But communion with Christ is exclusive, incompatible with any other such communion (1 Cor 10:21). Compare the line of reasoning at 1 Cor 6:15.
- 10:20 To demons: although Jews denied divinity to pagan gods, they often believed that there was some nondivine reality behind the idols, such as the dead, or angels, or demons. The explanation Paul offers in 1 Cor 10:20 is drawn from Dt 32:17: the power behind the idols, with which the pagans commune, consists of demonic powers hostile to God.
- 10:23–11:1 By way of peroration Paul returns to the opening situation (1 Cor 8) and draws conclusions based on the intervening considerations (1 Cor 9–10).
- 10:23–24 He repeats in the context of this new problem the slogans of liberty from 1 Cor 6:12, with similar qualifications. Liberty is not merely an individual perfection, nor an end in itself, but is to be used for the common good. The language of 1 Cor 10:24 recalls the descriptions of Jesus’ self-emptying in Phil 2.
- 10:25–30 A summary of specific situations in which the eating of meat sacrificed to idols could present problems of conscience. Three cases are considered. In the first (the marketplace, 1 Cor 10:25–26) and the second (at table, 1 Cor 10:27), there is no need to be concerned with whether food has passed through a pagan sacrifice or not, for the principle of 1 Cor 8:4–6 still stands, and the whole creation belongs to the one God. But in the third case (1 Cor 10:28), the situation changes if someone present explicitly raises the question of the sacrificial origin of the food; eating in such circumstances may be subject to various interpretations, some of which could be harmful to individuals. Paul is at pains to insist that the enlightened Christian conscience need not change its judgment about the neutrality, even the goodness, of the food in itself (1 Cor 10:29–30); yet the total situation is altered to the extent that others are potentially endangered, and this calls for a different response, for the sake of others.
- 10:32–11:1 In summary, the general rule of mutually responsible use of their Christian freedom is enjoined first negatively (1 Cor 10:32), then positively, as exemplified in Paul (1 Cor 10:33), and finally grounded in Christ, the pattern for Paul’s behavior and theirs (1 Cor 11:1; cf. Rom 15:1–3).
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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