1 Corinthians 10:1-11

New International Version

Warnings From Israel’s History

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant^(A) of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud^(B) and that they all passed through the sea.^(C) ²They were all baptized into^(D) Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³They all ate the same spiritual food^(E) ⁴and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock^(F) that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.^(G)

⁶Now these things occurred as examples^(H) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷Do not be idolaters,^(I) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”^[a]^(J) ⁸We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.^(K) ⁹We should not test Christ,^[b]^(L) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.^(M) ¹⁰And do not grumble, as some of them did^(N)—and were killed^(O) by the destroying angel.^(P)

¹¹These things happened to them as examples^(Q) and were written down as warnings for us,^(R) on whom the culmination of the ages has come.^(S) ¹²So, if you think you are standing firm,^(T) be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³No temptation^[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful;^(U) he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear.^(V) But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper

¹⁴Therefore, my dear friends,^(W) flee from idolatry.^(X) ¹⁵I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break^(Y) a participation in the body of Christ?^(Z) ¹⁷Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,^(AA) for we all share the one loaf.

¹⁸Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices^(AB) participate in the altar? ¹⁹Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?^(AC) ²⁰No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,^(AD) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.^(AE) ²²Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?^(AF) Are we stronger than he?^(AG)

The Believer’s Freedom

²³“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial.^(AH) “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. ²⁴No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.^(AI)

²⁵Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,^(AJ) ²⁶for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”^[f]^(AK)

²⁷If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you^(AL) without raising questions of conscience. ²⁸But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience.^(AM) ²⁹I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom^(AN) being judged by another’s conscience? ³⁰If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?^(AO)

³¹So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.^(AP) ³²Do not cause anyone to stumble,^(AQ) whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God^(AR)— ³³even as I try to please everyone in every way.^(AS) For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,^(AT) so that they may be saved.^(AU) 11 ¹Follow my example,^(AV) as I follow the example of Christ.^(AW)

Footnotes

1 Corinthians 10:7 Exodus 32:6
1 Corinthians 10:9 Some manuscripts test the Lord
1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
1 Corinthians 10:13 The Greek for temptation and tempted can also mean testing and tested.
1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1

Psalm 55

New International Version

Psalm 55^[a]

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil^[b] of David.

¹Listen to my prayer, O God,
    do not ignore my plea;^(A)
²    hear me and answer me.^(B)
My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught^(C)
³    because of what my enemy is saying,
    because of the threats of the wicked;
for they bring down suffering on me^(D)
    and assail^(E) me in their anger.^(F)

⁴My heart is in anguish^(G) within me;
    the terrors^(H) of death have fallen on me.
⁵Fear and trembling^(I) have beset me;
    horror^(J) has overwhelmed me.
⁶I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest.
⁷I would flee far away
    and stay in the desert;^[c]^(K)
⁸I would hurry to my place of shelter,^(L)
    far from the tempest and storm.^(M)”

⁹Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words,^(N)
    for I see violence and strife^(O) in the city.^(P)
¹⁰Day and night they prowl^(Q) about on its walls;
    malice and abuse are within it.
¹¹Destructive forces^(R) are at work in the city;
    threats and lies^(S) never leave its streets.

¹²If an enemy were insulting me,
    I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
    I could hide.
¹³But it is you, a man like myself,
    my companion, my close friend,^(T)
¹⁴with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship^(U)
    at the house of God,^(V)
as we walked about
    among the worshipers.

¹⁵Let death take my enemies by surprise;^(W)
let them go down alive to the realm of the dead,^(X)
for evil finds lodging among them.

¹⁶As for me, I call to God,
    and the Lord saves me.
¹⁷Evening,^(Y) morning^(Z) and noon^(AA)
    I cry out in distress,
    and he hears my voice.
¹⁸He rescues me unharmed
    from the battle waged against me,
    even though many oppose me.
¹⁹God, who is enthroned from of old,^(AB)
    who does not change—
he will hear^(AC) them and humble them,
    because they have no fear of God.^(AD)

²⁰My companion attacks his friends;^(AE)
    he violates his covenant.^(AF)
²¹His talk is smooth as butter,^(AG)
    yet war is in his heart;
his words are more soothing than oil,^(AH)
    yet they are drawn swords.^(AI)

²²Cast your cares on the Lord
    and he will sustain you;^(AJ)
he will never let
    the righteous be shaken.^(AK)
²³But you, God, will bring down the wicked
    into the pit^(AL) of decay;
the bloodthirsty and deceitful^(AM)
    will not live out half their days.^(AN)

But as for me, I trust in you.^(AO)

Footnotes

Psalm 55:1 In Hebrew texts 55:1-23 is numbered 55:2-24.
Psalm 55:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
Psalm 55:7 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and in the middle of verse 19.