Learn from Israel

1Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea

2—all were baptized into Moses by the cloud and by the sea—

3and all ate the same spiritual food

4and drank the same spiritual drink; because they kept drinking from a spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that Rock was the Christ. ¹¹⁸

5For all that, God was not pleased with most of them—their carcasses were scattered around the desert! ¹¹⁹

Examples

6Now these things became examples for us, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

7And do not become idolaters, just like some of them; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to amuse themselves.” ¹²⁰

8And let us not fornicate, just as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand died! ¹²¹

9Neither let us test the Christ, just as also some of them did—and were destroyed by the snakes! ¹²²

10And do not grumble, just as also some of them did—and were executed by the destroyer! ¹²³

11Now all these things happened to them as examples and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends ¹²⁴of the ages have come.

12So then, let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall!

13No testing ¹²⁵has overtaken you except what is common to man, and God is competent, ¹²⁶who will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can stand, but with the testing will also provide the way out, that you may be able to endure it. ¹²⁷

Eschew idolatry!

14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry!

15I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹²⁸

16The cup of blessing that we bless, ¹²⁹is it not a sharing of the blood of Christ? ¹³⁰The bread that we break, is it not a sharing of the body of Christ? ¹³¹

17Since the loaf is one, we, the many, are one body, because we all partake of that single loaf. ¹³²

18Consider the physical Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

Idol = demon

19So what am I getting at? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything?

20Rather, that the things pagans sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to become participants with the demons. ¹³³

21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.

22Are we going to provoke the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

About conscience

23All things are ‘permissible’ for me, ¹³⁴but not all things are expedient. All things are ‘permissible’ for me, but not all things edify.

24Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.

25Eat whatever is being sold in the meat market, asking no question for the sake of conscience;

26since “the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness.” ¹³⁵

27If some unbeliever invites you and you decide to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.

28But if anyone says, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the speaker and of the conscience; since “the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness.” ¹³⁶

29‘Conscience’ I say, not your own but that of the other. Do all to the glory of God Now just why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience?

30If I partake with thanks, why be slandered over something I give thanks for? ¹³⁷

31Therefore, whether you eat or you drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ¹³⁸

32Give no offense, either to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God ¹³⁹

33—even as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own profit but that of the many, that they may be saved.