1Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under the cloud: all passed through the sea; 2and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. 5However, God was not well pleased with most of them, because they were struck down in the wilderness. 6Now these things were written as examples for us, so that we may not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7Do not become idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”1781 8Let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell! 9Let us not put Christ to the test, as some of them also did, and they perished by the poisonous snakes. 10Let us not grumble either, as some of them also did, and they were killed by the destroying angel. 11Now all these things happened to them as examples and they were written for our instruction, since the ends of the ages1782 have come on us. 12Therefore, let the one who thinks that he is standing be careful not to fall.
13No temptation has come to you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful: he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to resist, but with the temptation he will also create a way to escape, so that you may be able to endure it.
The cup and bread—Against idolatry
14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15I speak [to you] as to people that have common sense. Judge what I say: 16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing1783 in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a sharing1784 in the body of Christ? 17Since there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body, because we all partake of the one loaf of bread. 18Consider Israel according to the flesh: is it not true that those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?
19What am I saying then: that an idol is anything, or that something sacrificed to idols is meaningful?1785 20[No], but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and also from the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons as well. 22Or do we [want to] provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23”All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up. 24We should not seek our own good, but each one the other’s good.
Issues of conscience
25You may eat whatever is sold at the market,1786 asking no question for the sake of conscience, 26for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”1787 27If you are invited for a meal by an unbeliever (and if you are inclined to accept), eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.1788 28But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience, <for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”>1789 29I say conscience, not your own, but the other’s conscience. But why is my freedom judged by someone else’s conscience? 30If I partake with gratefulness, why am I denounced for what I give thanks for? 31And so, whether you eat, or drink, or whatever [else] you do, do it all to the glory of God. 32Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the Church of God; 33even as I also [attempt to] please everyone in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.
Headship—Discipline in the assembly
- Exodus 32:6
- Greek te,lh tw/n aivw,nwn
- Or “communion, participation”
- Or “communion, participation”
- Literally “is anything”
- Technically “meat market”
- Psalm 24:1/23 LXX
- Or “awareness”
- CT omits the end of this verse
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
