1 Corinthians 10

10 ¹Brothers and sisters, I want you to know: our ancestors were all under the cloud, 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 all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock following them—that rock was Christ. ⁵But our Father wasn't pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.

⁶Now these things became our examples, so we wouldn't crave evil things as they craved. ⁷Don't become idolaters like some of them were; as it is written: "the people sat to eat and drink, then rose up to play." ⁸Let's not sin sexually as some of them did—23,000 died in a single day. ⁹Let us not test Christ, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the snakes. ¹⁰And do not grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. ¹¹These things happened to them as examples, written as a warning for us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. ¹²So then, let anyone who thinks he stands take care that he does not fall. ¹³No temptation has seized you except what is common to mankind. And our Father is faithful: he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will also provide a way out, so you can endure it.

¹⁴So, loved ones, flee idol worship. ¹⁵I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶The cup of blessing we bless—isn't it sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread we break—isn't it sharing in the body of Christ? ¹⁷Since there's one bread, we many are one body, for we all share the one bread. ¹⁸Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? ¹⁹What am I saying, then—that idol-sacrificed food is anything, or an idol is anything? ²⁰No, but what those who don't know the Father sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, not our Father; I don't want you sharing with demons. ²¹You can't drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you can't share the Lord's table and the table of demons. ²²Or are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is?

²³"Everything is allowed"—but not everything helps. "Everything is allowed"—but not everything builds up. ²⁴Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. ²⁵Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without asking any questions for conscience's sake, ²⁶for "the earth is our Father's, and everything in it." ²⁷If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is served, without asking questions for conscience's sake. ²⁸But if someone tells you, "This was offered in sacrifice," don't eat it, for the sake of the one who told you, and of conscience. ²⁹I mean not your own conscience, but the other's. For why should another's conscience judge my freedom? ³⁰If I eat with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something for which I give thanks?

³¹So whether you eat, drink, or do anything, do it all for our Father's glory. ³²Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of our Father, ³³so I try to please everyone in everything—not seeking my own good, but the good of the many, that they may be saved.