1 Corinthians 10

1For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,

2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

3and all ate the same spiritual food,

4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.

5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

6Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we would not desire 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 drink, and got up to revel.”

8We must not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the snakes.

10And do not grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

11These things happened to them as examples, and they were written down to warn us, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

12So whoever thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall.

13No temptation has seized you except the kind that human beings commonly face. God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out, so that you can bear up under it.

14Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

15I am speaking to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.

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

17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

18Consider the people of Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar?

19What am I saying, then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything?

20No, but that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.

21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

22Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is?

23All things are permitted, but not all things are helpful. All things are permitted, but not all things build up.

24No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person.

25Eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising questions for the sake of conscience,

26for “the earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it.”

27If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising questions for the sake of conscience.

28But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience—

29I mean not your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why should my freedom be judged by someone else’s conscience?

30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I give thanks for?

31So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

32Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,

33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they may be saved.