Idol Feasts and the Lord’s Supper

14 Therefore, my dear friends,(A) flee from idolatry.(B) 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is 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(C) a participation in the body of Christ?(D) 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body,(E) for we all share the one loaf.

18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices(F) participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?(G) 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,(H) not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You 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.(I) 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?(J) Are we stronger than he?(K)

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Warning against Idolatry

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup(A) of blessing(B) that we give thanks for, 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, for all of us share that one bread. 18 Look at the people of Israel.[a] Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar?(E) 19 What am I saying then? That food offered 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 participate 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. 1 Corinthians 10:18 Lit Look at Israel according to the flesh
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:20 Other mss read Gentiles