10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
10:2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food
10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
10:5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
10:6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
10:7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.”
10:8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did–and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
10:9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did–and were killed by snakes.
10:10 And do not grumble, as some of them did–and were killed by the destroying angel.
10:11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
10:12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
10:15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.
10:16 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 a participation in the body of Christ?
10:17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
10:18 Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
10:19 Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons.
10:21 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.
10:22 Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
10:23 “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”–but not everything is constructive.
10:24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
10:25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
10:26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”
10:27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
10:28 But if anyone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience’ sake–
10:29 the other man’s conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another’s conscience?
10:30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God–
10:33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
10:1 For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
10:2 And all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
10:3 And all ate the same spiritual food,
10:4 And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ.
10:5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness.
10:6 Now these things occurred as examples to us, that we should not be ones who lust after evil things, even as they also lusted.
10:7 Neither become idolaters, as some of them did; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.
10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand.
10:9 Neither let us test Christ, as some of them tested Him and were destroyed by the serpents.
10:10 Neither murmur, just as some of them murmured and perished by the destroyer.
10:11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our admonition, unto whom the ends of the ages have come.
10:12 So then let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
10:13 No temptation has taken you except that which is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow that you be tempted beyond what you are able, but will, with the temptation, also make the way out, that you may be able to endure it.
10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
10:15 I speak as to prudent men; you judge what I say.
10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ?
10:17 Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one Body; for we all partake of the one bread.
10:18 Look at Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices those who have fellowship with the altar?
10:19 What then am I saying? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything? Or that an idol is anything?
10:20 No, but that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become those who have fellowship with demons.
10:21 You cannot drink the Lord s cup and the demons cup; you cannot partake of the Lord s table and of the demons table.
10:22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
10:23 All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable; all things are lawful, but not all things build up.
10:24 Let no one seek his own profit, but that of the other.
10:25 Everything sold in a meat market eat, asking no question for conscience sake;
10:26 For the earth is the Lord s and the fullness thereof.
10:27 If any of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, eat everything that is set before you, asking no question for conscience sake.
10:28 But if anyone says to you, This has been offered in sacrifice, do not eat, for his sake who pointed it out and for conscience sake.
10:29 Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other s. For why is my freedom judged by some other conscience?
10:30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I spoken evil of concerning that for which I give thanks?
10:31 Therefore whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
10:32 Do not become a stumbling block, both to Jews and to Greeks and to the church of God;
10:33 Even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own advantage but that of the many, that they may be saved.