Warning against Idolatry

14 So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cup(A) of blessing(B) that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread(C) 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(D) body, since all of us share the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel.[a] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?(E) 19 What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that what they[b] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 10:18 Lit Look at Israel according to the flesh
  2. 10:20 Other mss read Gentiles

14 And so, my dear friends, keep on running away from idolatry. 15 I am talking to sensible people. Apply what I am saying to yourselves. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless is our fellowship in the blood of the Messiah,[a] isn’t it? The bread that we break is our fellowship in the body of the Messiah,[b] isn’t it? 17 Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, because all of us eat from the same loaf.

18 Look at the Israelis from a human point of view.[c] Those who eat the sacrifices share in what is on the altar, don’t they? 19 Am I suggesting that an offering made to idols means anything, or that an idol itself means anything? 20 Hardly! What they offer, they offer to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become partners with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot dine with the Lord and dine with demons, 22 or you’ll provoke the Lord to jealousy, won’t you? Are we stronger than he is?

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:16 Or Christ
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:16 Or Christ
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:18 Lit. Israel according to the flesh