1 Corinthians · Chapter 10
1 Corinthians 10
Berean Standard Bible · Public domain · Source credits
Warnings from Israel’s Past
(Numbers 16:41–50; Numbers 25:1–5)
1I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea.
2They 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; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
6These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.
7Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.”*
8We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.
9We should not test Christ, as some of them did, and were killed by snakes.*
10And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel.*
11Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.
12So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.
13No 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 an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
Flee from Idolatry
(Exodus 20:22–26)
14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.
16Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?
17Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf.
18Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar?
19Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.
21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.
22Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
All to God’s Glory
(1 Peter 4:1–11)
23“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying.*
24No one should seek his own good, but the good of others.
25Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience,
26for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”*
27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience.
28But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience—*
29the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience?
30If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
32Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God—
33as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
Source notes
- 10:7 Or to play; Exodus 32:6 Read Exodus 32:6
- 10:9 WH, NE, and Tischendorf test the Lord
- 10:10 Literally the destroyer
- 10:23 Or “All things are lawful,” twice in this verse
- 10:26 Psalms 24:1 Read Psalms 24:1
- 10:28 BYZ and TR and for the sake of conscience—for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof—
Old Testament references
References from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Text from the Berean Standard Bible.
Exodus 32:6So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.
Psalms 24:1The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and all who dwell therein.
Exodus 13:21And the LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud to guide their way by day, and in a pillar of fire to give them light by night, so that they could travel by day or night.
Exodus 13:22Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place before the people.
Exodus 14:19And the angel of God, who had gone before the camp of Israel, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them,
Exodus 14:20so that it came between the camps of Egypt and Israel. The cloud was there in the darkness, but it lit up the night. So all night long neither camp went near the other.
Exodus 40:34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Numbers 9:15On the day that the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it and appeared like fire above the tabernacle from evening until morning.
Numbers 9:16It remained that way continually; the cloud would cover the tabernacle by day, and at night it would appear like fire.
Numbers 9:17Whenever the cloud was lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites would set out, and wherever the cloud settled, there the Israelites would camp.
Numbers 9:18At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at the LORD’s command they camped. As long as the cloud remained over the tabernacle, they remained encamped.
Numbers 9:19Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites kept the LORD’s charge and did not set out.
Numbers 9:20Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for only a few days, and they would camp at the LORD’s command and set out at the LORD’s command.
Numbers 9:21Sometimes the cloud remained only from evening until morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they would set out. Whether it was by day or by night, when the cloud was taken up, they would set out.