For Loss of The Prize Is Possible: Remember What Happened To Israel
10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers[a] were all under the cloud, and all went through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual[b] food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they were drinking from a spiritual[c] rock following them. And the rock was Christ. 5 But God was not well-pleased with the majority of them, for they were strewn in the wilderness.
Do Not Follow Their Example
6 Now these things took place as our examples, so that we might not be desirers of evil things, as those also desired. 7 And do not be idolaters, as some of them, as-indeed it has been written [in Ex 32:6], “The people sat-down to eat and drink, and stood up to play”. 8 And let us not be committing-sexual-immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty three thousand fell in one day [Num 25:1-9]. 9 And let us not be putting Christ to the test, as some of them tested, and were being destroyed by the serpents [Num 21:5-6]. 10 And do not be grumbling, like some of them grumbled, and perished by the destroyer [Num 16:41-49]. 11 Now these[d] things were happening to those ones as-an-example. And it was written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come[e].
So Watch Out That You Do Not Fall
12 So then let the one thinking that he stands be watching-out that he may not fall. 13 A temptation has not seized you except what is common-to-humanity. And God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but also with the temptation will make the way-out, that you may be able to endure.
For This Very Reason, Flee From The Eating Connected With Idol Worship
14 For-this-very-reason, my beloved, be fleeing from idolatry[f]. 15 I speak as to wise ones; you judge what I say: 16 the cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a sharing[g] of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we the many are one body[h], for we all partake from the one bread. 18 Look-at Israel according to the flesh— are not the ones eating the sacrifices sharers of the altar? 19 Therefore what am I saying? That[i] food-sacrificed-to-an-idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 On the contrary, that the things which they are sacrificing, they are sacrificing to demons, and not[j] to God. And I do not want you to be sharers of the demons. 21 You cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup. You cannot[k] partake of the Lord’s table and the demons’ table. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
So As To The Eating of Meat, Do What Is Beneficial And Edifying To Those Eating
23 All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. All things are lawful, but not all things build-up. 24 Let no one be seeking his own thing, but the thing of the other. 25 Be eating anything being sold in the meat-market, examining nothing for the sake of conscience. 26 For “The earth and the fullness of it are the Lord’s” [Ps 24:1]. 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you, and you want to go, eat anything being set-before you, examining nothing for the sake of conscience. 28 But if one should say to you “This is offered-in-sacrifice”, do not eat[l]— for the sake of that one having disclosed it, and the conscience. 29 Now the conscience I mean is not the one of oneself, but the one of the other. For why[m] is my freedom being judged[n] by another’s conscience? 30 If I am partaking with thanks, why am I being blasphemed for that which I am giving-thanks?
In Summary, Do All For God’s Glory. Be Blameless To All And Seek Their Benefit
31 Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything, be doing all for the glory of God. 32 Be blameless[o] both to Jews and Greeks, and to the church of God— 33 just as I also am pleasing all people as to all things, not seeking the benefit of myself, but the benefit of the many, in order that they might be saved.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 10:1 Paul is a positive example, Israel a negative one. A fall into disapproval is not theoretical. It happened to Israel!
- 1 Corinthians 10:3 That is, in origin. The manna came from God. Likewise next.
- 1 Corinthians 10:4 That is, a rock from God, spiritual in origin; or, a supernatural, invisible rock, Christ Himself.
- 1 Corinthians 10:11 That is, the consequences of sin just recounted.
- 1 Corinthians 10:11 Or, arrived. The preceding ages ended in Christ, who began a new age.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 Paul now applies v 1-13 to eating in idols’ temples, an issue mentioned but not addressed in 8:10. Your knowledge in which you think you stand will cause you to fall if you think you can do this without arousing the jealousy of God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:16 Or, communion, partnership.
- 1 Corinthians 10:17 Partaking of the bread and cup makes us one with Christ and one another. Paul’s point is that the same is true in the idol’s temple.
- 1 Corinthians 10:19 That... that? These are the same two points of knowledge Paul began with in 8:4 and 8.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20 Or, to a no God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:21 That is, without provoking God to jealousy and bringing His judgment upon you.
- 1 Corinthians 10:28 Or, stop eating.
- 1 Corinthians 10:29 That is, (correcting the strong one) why should I allow my freely chosen behavior to come under condemnation? I should instead choose not to eat. Or, (supporting the strong one) why should I allow another person’s conscience to judge my actions? They have no right to do so. My sacrifice of my right to eat is voluntary and for the sake of their conscience not mine, and not because I agree with their view.
- 1 Corinthians 10:29 Or, condemned.
- 1 Corinthians 10:32 Or, without-an-opportunity-for-stumbling, without-offense.