14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of (A)Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, (B)to eat things sacrificed to idols, (C)and to commit sexual immorality.

Read full chapter

14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you:(A) There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam,(B) who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols(C) and committed sexual immorality.(D)

Read full chapter

15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of (A)Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Read full chapter

15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam(A) son of Bezer,[a] who loved the wages of wickedness.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Peter 2:15 Greek Bosor

16 Look, (A)these women caused the children of Israel, through the (B)counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and (C)there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

Read full chapter

16 “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice(A) and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the Lord in the Peor incident,(B) so that a plague(C) struck the Lord’s people.

Read full chapter

20 Nevertheless I have [a]a few things against you, because you allow [b]that woman (A)Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, [c]to teach and seduce My servants (B)to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:20 NU, M against you that you tolerate
  2. Revelation 2:20 M your wife Jezebel
  3. Revelation 2:20 NU, M and teaches and seduces

20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel,(A) who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.(B)

Read full chapter

Israel’s Harlotry in Moab

25 Now Israel remained in (A)Acacia Grove,[a] and the (B)people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. (C)They invited the people to (D)the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and (E)bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and (F)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 25:1 Heb. Shittim

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality(B) with Moabite(C) women,(D) who invited them to the sacrifices(E) to their gods.(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to(G) the Baal of Peor.(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

Read full chapter

29 (A)that you abstain from things offered to idols, (B)from blood, from things strangled, and from (C)sexual[a] immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.

Farewell.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:29 Or fornication

29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.(A) You will do well to avoid these things.

Farewell.

Read full chapter

11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way (A)of Cain, (B)have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished (C)in the rebellion of Korah.

Read full chapter

11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain;(A) they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error;(B) they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.(C)

Read full chapter

(A)Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; (B)but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Read full chapter

Marriage should be honored by all,(A) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.(B)

Read full chapter

Then (A)Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and (B)sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.

Read full chapter

When Balak son of Zippor,(A) the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor(B) to put a curse on you.(C)

Read full chapter

and

(A)“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”

(B)They stumble, being disobedient to the word, (C)to which they also were appointed.

Read full chapter

and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.”[a](A)

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(B)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14

18 Observe (A)Israel (B)after the flesh: (C)Are not those who eat of the sacrifices [a]partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? (D)That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles (E)sacrifice (F)they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 (G)You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and (H)the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the (I)Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we (J)provoke the Lord to jealousy? (K)Are we stronger than He?

All to the Glory of God(L)

23 All things are lawful [b]for me, but not all things are (M)helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things [c]edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one (N)the other’s well-being.

25 (O)Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for (P)“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, (Q)eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it (R)for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; [d]for (S)“the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For (T)why is my liberty judged by another man’s conscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food (U)over which I give thanks?

31 (V)Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:18 fellowshippers or sharers
  2. 1 Corinthians 10:23 NU omits for me
  3. 1 Corinthians 10:23 build up
  4. 1 Corinthians 10:28 NU omits the rest of v. 28.

18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices(A) participate in the altar? 19 Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?(B) 20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons,(C) 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.(D) 22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?(E) Are we stronger than he?(F)

The Believer’s Freedom

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

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

27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you(K) without raising questions of conscience. 28 But 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.(L) 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom(M) being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?(N)

31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.(O)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 10:26 Psalm 24:1

25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, (A)we have written and decided [a]that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from [b]sexual immorality.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:25 NU omits that they should observe no such thing, except
  2. Acts 21:25 fornication

25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”(A)

Read full chapter

20 but that we (A)write to them to abstain (B)from things polluted by idols, (C)from [a]sexual immorality, (D)from things strangled, and from blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, (E)being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Acts 15:20 Or fornication

20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols,(A) from sexual immorality,(B) from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.(C) 21 For the law of Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”(D)

Read full chapter