10
Warnings from Israel’s Past
1Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers # Ps 44:1; Ac 7:11 were all under the cloud, # Ex 13:21 all passed through the sea, # Ex 14:29 2and all were baptized # Ac 22:16 into Moses # Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food, # Ex 16:31 4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock # Ex 17:6; Nm 20:7-13 that followed them, and that rock was Christ. # Jn 4:14; 6:30-35 5But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. # Jd 5
6Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire # Mt 27:23; Jms 4:2 evil things as they did. # Lit they desired # Nm 11:4,33-34; Ps 78:18; 106:14 7Don’t become idolaters # Eph 5:5 as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. # Or to dance # Ex 32:6 # Ex 32:6 8Let us not commit sexual immorality # 1Co 6:18; Rv 2:14,20; 17:2; 18:3,9 as some of them did, # Lit them committed sexual immorality and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. # Nm 25:1-18; Ps 106:29 9Let us not test Christ as some of them did # Lit them tested and were destroyed by snakes. # Nm 21:6 10Nor should we complain # Jn 6:41; Jd 16 as some of them did, # Lit them complained # Nm 16:41-50 and were killed by the destroyer. # Or the destroying angel # Ex 12:23; 2Sm 24:16; 1Ch 21:15; Ps 78:49 11Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, # Ps 102:18 on whom the ends of the ages # Mk 13:7 have come. # Mk 10:30 12So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. # Pr 24:16; Heb 6:8 13No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, # Nm 12:7 and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape # 2Pt 2:9 so that you are able to bear it.
Warning against Idolatry
14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16The cup # Mt 26:27; Mk 14:23; Lk 22:17,20; 1Co 11:25-26 of blessing # Mk 6:41; Gl 3:14 that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread # Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19; Ac 2:42,46; 20:7 that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one # Jn 11:52; Eph 4:4 body, for all of us share that one bread. 18Look at the people of Israel. # Lit Look at Israel according to the flesh Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? # Gn 8:20; Lv 1:5; Nm 3:26; Dt 12:27; 1Sm 2:28; 1Ch 6:49; Ps 26:6; Ezk 8:15; Heb 7:13 19What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, but I do say that what they # Other mss read Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! 21You 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. 22Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? # Ec 6:10
Christian Liberty
23“Everything is permissible,” # Other mss add for me # See note at 1Co 6:12-13. but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” # Other mss add for me but not everything builds up. 24No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. # Mk 10:45; Php 2:4
25Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, 26for the earth is the Lord’s, # Mk 13:19 and all that is in it. # Ps 24:1 # Ps 24:1 27If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. 28But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, # Lk 10:8 out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. # Other mss add “For the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” 29I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged # Lk 6:37 by another person’s conscience? 30If I partake with thanks, # Mk 8:6; Rm 1:8 why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?
31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. # Mk 10:37; Lk 9:32; Jn 17:24; 2Co 3:18; 2Pt 3:18 32Give no offense # Ac 24:16; Php 1:10 to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, # Mk 10:45 so that they may be saved.
