1 F or I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, that our forefathers were all under and protected by the cloud, and every one of them passed safely through the Sea,

Now I would not have you ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 A nd each one of them to be baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 A nd all ate the same spiritual (supernaturally given) food,

and all ate the same spiritual food;

4 A nd they all drank the same spiritual (supernaturally given) drink. For they drank from a spiritual Rock which followed them, and the Rock was Christ.

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

5 N evertheless, God was not pleased with the great majority of them, for they were overthrown and strewn down along in the wilderness.

However with most of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 N ow these things are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us not to desire or crave or covet or lust after evil and carnal things as they did.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

7 D o not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity).

Don’t be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

8 W e must not gratify evil desire and indulge in immorality as some of them did—and twenty-three thousand fell dead in a single day!

Let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell.

9 W e should not tempt the Lord as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents;

Let us not test Christ, as some of them tested, and perished by the serpents.

10 N or discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death).

Don’t grumble, as some of them also grumbled, and perished by the destroyer.

11 N ow these things befell them by way of a figure; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

Now all these things happened to them by way of example, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

12 T herefore let anyone who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn’t fall.

13 F or no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man '> adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful, and He not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

14 T herefore, my dearly beloved, shun (keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be) any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God).

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

15 I am speaking as to intelligent (sensible) men. Think over and make up your minds about what I say.

I speak as to wise men. Judge what I say.

16 T he cup of blessing upon which we ask blessing, does it not mean we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the blood of Christ (the Messiah)? The bread which we break, does it not mean we participate in and share a fellowship (a communion) in the body of Christ?

The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?

17 F or we numerous we are, are one body, because we all partake of the one Bread.

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

18 C onsider those people of Israel. Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners of the altar ?

Consider Israel according to the flesh. Don’t those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?

19 W hat do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything or that an idol itself is a thing?

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

20 N o, I am suggesting that what the pagans sacrifice they offer to demons (to evil spiritual powers) and not to God. I do not want you to fellowship and be partners with diabolical spirits.

But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don’t desire that you would have fellowship with demons.

21 Y ou cannot drink the Lord’s cup and the demons’ cup. You cannot partake of the Lord’s table and the demons’ table.

You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons.

22 S hall we thus provoke the Lord to jealousy and anger and indignation? Are we stronger than He ?

Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

23 A ll things are legitimate, but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive and edifying.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are profitable. “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things build up.

24 L et no one then seek his own good and advantage and profit, but each one of the other.

Let no one seek his own, but each one his neighbor’s good.

25 e at anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question or investigating on the grounds of conscientious scruples,

Whatever is sold in the butcher shop, eat, asking no question for the sake of conscience,

26 F or the earth is the Lord’s and everything that is in it.

for “the earth is the Lord’s, and its fullness.”

27 I n case one of the unbelievers invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is served to you without examining into its source because of conscientious scruples.

But if one of those who don’t believe invites you to a meal, and you are inclined to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no questions for the sake of conscience.

28 B ut if someone tells you, This has been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat it, out of consideration for the person who informed you, and for conscience’s sake—

But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” don’t eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

29 I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours,. For why should another man’s scruples apply to me and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?

Conscience, I say, not your own, but the other’s conscience. For why is my liberty judged by another conscience?

30 I f I partake with thankfulness, why am I accused and spoken evil of because of that for which I give thanks?

If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks?

31 S o then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.

Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 D o not let yourselves be an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God '> do not lead others into sin by your mode of life];

Give no occasions for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the assembly of God;

33 J ust as I myself strive to please all men in everything I do, not aiming at or considering my own profit and advantage, but that of the many in order that they may be saved.

even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved.