1For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers 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 a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.
5But God was not well pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.
6Now these things became examples for us, so that we should not be cravers of evil things, as they also craved.
7Do not become idolaters, as some of them were, as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8Neither let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and in a single day twenty-three thousand fell.
9Neither let us test the Lord, as some of them tested, and were being destroyed by the serpents.
10Neither grumble, as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written down for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12So then, let the one who thinks he stands watch out that he does not fall.
13No testing has overtaken you except what is common to humanity; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can bear, but with the testing will also provide the way out, so that you may be able to endure it.
14Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15I speak as 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.
18Look at Israel according to the flesh: are not those who eat the sacrifices partners of the altar?
19What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?
20No, but that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become partners with demons.
21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
22Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
23“All things are permitted,” but not all things are beneficial. “All things are permitted,” but not all things build up.
24Let no one seek his own good but that of the other.
25Eat everything sold in the meat market, raising no question on account of conscience,
26for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”
27If any of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, eat everything set before you, raising no question on account of conscience.
28But if anyone says to you, “This is offered in sacrifice,” do not eat it—for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience;
29conscience, I mean, not your own but that of the other. For why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?
30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I slandered for that for which I give thanks?
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 also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own advantage but that of the many, so that they may be saved.
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